When Emil Salim Brings the Environment to the Heart of Development
GARISBUMI.com – Emil Salim helped put the environment at the heart of the country's development policy. From the birth of the AMDAL framework to the idea of sustainable development, its influence is still felt today.
In 1978, when Emil Salim was appointed Minister of State for Development and Environmental Supervision, Indonesia did not yet have an established way to deal with environmental problems.
Almost everything has to start at the same time. The public needs to be convinced, institutions must be formed, knowledge gathered, while the rule of law is still very limited.
The challenge is not small. Indonesia's development is moving fast. Industry grew, forests were cleared, mines expanded, cities developed, and various infrastructure projects were built in many areas.
Development success is easy to demonstrate. There are new buildings, longer roads, dams, factories, and economic growth figures that can be announced every year.
Environmental damage works differently. It often comes slowly and is barely audible.
The river water changes color little by little. Forest cover is shrinking year by year. The air around industrial areas is getting harder to breathe. People only really realize the consequences when rice fields are no longer productive, water sources disappear, or diseases begin to emerge.
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