The green city of Jakarta

Nirwono Joga
Jakarta

A metropolitan city, as a man-made environment, is one of the biggest contributors to carbon-dioxide (C02) -- the gas causing global warming -- as a result of traffic congestion, urban exhaust gas emission and the narrowing of the green open space. Ironically, a coastal city like Jakarta will in fact receive the biggest adverse impact of this global warming phenomenon.

Luckily, the awareness shared by the government, property developers, planners and city residents has led to a commitment to integrate a sustainable development policy in all their operational activities. Global warming has prompted green cities to compete throughout the United States and elsewhere in the world. In Indonesia, we are familiar with Adipura, the award given to the cleanest and greenest city.

Jakarta must become a green city. Right now this city is in "suicidal" mode, ecologically and urban-wise. Jakarta is marked by a degradation of its environment including coastal abrasion, sea water intrusion to buildings and roads, a clean water crisis, ground water contamination, and soil subsidence. The city undergoes chronic traffic congestion and thick air pollution. Fire accidents in densely populated residential areas reach their apex during the dry season.
Flooding will (surely) drown the city.

Experts on disaster mitigation and city planners have again sounded their warning our city's spatial layout design is yet to take disasters into account. As a result, a disaster will claim a lot of lives and inflict great material losses. With reference to Law No. 24/2007 on Disaster Management and Law No. 26/2007 on Spatial Layout Design, a city must be designed to be "disaster alert".

This refers to a city's ability to anticipate and mitigate various natural disasters (flooding, earthquake, tsunami) and non-natural disasters (fires, clean water crisis, sea water intrusion, soil subsidence, environmental pollution). A disaster policy makes a priority of urban development and how to overcome environmental quality degradation.
Disaster management is a cycle of sustainable activities rather than post-disaster recovery plans. Disaster management makes green open space the backbone of a disaster-alert city.

A green city is supported by a structured green open space network system and includes home parks/gardens, environment parks, urban parks, sports grounds, cemeteries, urban forest/botanical gardens and water-catchment areas (man-made and natural lakes and dams). To be a green city, Jakarta must be reformed so that it will be more transparent and more accountable.

The mission is simple: "If you go out of your house, you will be in a park." This mission will be spelled out in greater detail in the master plan of green open space. With reference to Law No. 26/2007 on Spatial Layout Design and Regulation of Home Minister No. 1/2007 on green open space in urban areas, the green open space of a green city must make up at least 30 per cent of the total area of a city (20 per cent of public green open space and 10 per cent of private green open space).

The establishment of new green open space areas will be necessary to significantly augment the city's "lungs" and water catchment areas. Eco-drainage and ecotourism involving man-made lakes and mangrove forests must be revitalized and developed as water catchment areas. Hardened neighborhood parks (sports ground, neighborhood security system checkpoints, parking grounds for local residents) should be better managed. The yards of schools and office buildings should be made green with grass and trees. And all green areas should ensure a better water absorption capacity. Once these steps have been implemented, those responsible should enjoy government incentives (relief in tax payment).

The green belts on free plots of land on river banks and on either side of railway lines, open space under bridges and flyovers and high-voltage channels should be restored to their original function and be freed from illegal settlers in a humane and comprehensive manner. As a result of limitation in the availability of land, the government must encourage the public to (voluntarily) live in high-rise buildings or apartments so there can be more green open space.
The awareness of the public, particularly in disaster-prone locations, must be raised so they will voluntarily move to apartments in the city and give more room for evacuation.

It is now time for the government to provide a (flyover) disaster evacuation park measuring some 500 square meters in areas crowded with people and buildings -- the places hurt most when disasters strike. In a normal situation throughout the year, the parks will serve their functions, including ecological, economic, educational and conservation functions (solar energy, biogas), as well as their esthetic function (environmental cleanliness and beauty).
Planting large trees in a great number in all corners of the city will make the city's air fresh and cool. These large trees will absorb water and provide shade to pedestrians and cyclists. They also reduce solar radiation (the greenhouse effect) and lend softness to the buildings and the city landscape.

A green city will give a number of advantages and lead to environmentally friendly and sustainable development, productivity and the culture of high competition. The city is supported by proper facilities and infrastructure, public transportation and employment opportunities. The city is geared towards being a healthy city that is energy-efficient and environmentally friendly and marked with the culture of sustainability.

The writer is chairman of Jakarta's landscape architecture study group.