West Sumatra on the Threshold of Change: Impacts of Extreme Weather on the Environment and Economy

West Sumatra (Sumbar) is currently facing serious challenges due to extreme weather that has the potential to change the environmental and economic conditions of the region. A significant increase in rainfall, triggered by meteorological phenomena such as wind encounters and high sea surface temperatures, has led to an increased risk of hydrometeorological disasters, including flash floods and landslides (WMO,2020).

The first impact of  Extreme Weather on Environmental is Hydrometeorological Disasters,West Sumatra has experienced several hydrometeorological disasters, including flash floods that killed 41 people in May 2024. Prolonged heavy rains caused cold lava and flooding in several districts such as Agam and Tanah Datar. The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) warns that heavy rainfall will continue, increasing the risk of disasters in vulnerable areas (BMKG,2024).

The second impact of  Extreme Weather on Environmental is Agricultural Damage, Extreme weather has also impacted the agricultural sector. In Bukittinggi, the local government is conducting surveillance to prevent damage to agricultural land due to bad weather. Although there has been no significant impact yet, anticipatory measures are needed to protect agricultural yields. Research shows that climate change can drastically reduce rice yields, with a 0.9C increase in temperature leading to a 74% reduction in yield (IPB,2022)

The third impact of  Extreme Weather on Economy is a  report from The Cross Dependency Initiative (XDI) shows that Indonesian provinces, including West Sumatra, face a high risk of economic damage due to extreme weather. Damage projections include various parameters such as floods and forest fires. As the frequency of disasters increases, the cost of recovery and mitigation also increases, straining local budgets and disrupting local economic growth (XDI,2021).

The last impact of  Extreme Weather on Economy Local governments are working to increase resilience to climate change through various initiatives, including the regulation of planting schedules and the selection of commodities that are more resilient to extreme weather.

Educating farmers on rainfall patterns and their impacts is also a focus to minimize losses due to climate change  (Kementan,2023).

In conclusion extreme of weather in West Sumatra not only threatens public safety but also significantly affects the environment and economy. With the increasing risk of disasters, it is important for the government and communities to increase vigilance and implement effective adaptation strategies to face this challenge. Collaborative efforts between governments, communities and scientists are needed to build resilience to the increasingly evident impacts of climate change.

References

WMO. (2020). State of the Climate in 2020. World Meteorological Organization.

BMKG. (2024). Laporan Cuaca dan Peringatan Dini Bencana Hidrometeorologi.

IPB. (2022). Dampak Perubahan Iklim terhadap Sektor Pertanian Indonesia. Jurnal Pertanian Tropika.

XDI. (2021). The Economics of Climate Change: Vulnerability and Risk in Indonesia. The Cross Dependency Initiative.

Kementan. (2023). Panduan Adaptasi Pertanian terhadap Perubahan Iklim di Indonesia. Kementerian Pertanian.