OCEAN 20, A Side Events of the Indonesia G20 Presidency: Realization or Imagination?

As of September 30, 2022, the official website for the 2022 G20 Indonesia presidency issued its press release. The press release relates to "OCEAN 20" commonly abbreviated as O20 - this is one of the side events of the 2022 Indonesia G20 Presidency. With so many problems and threats in marine ecosystems and the environment, will OCEAN 20 be well realized? Or is OCEAN 20 just imagination by hoping that the programs and roles carried out in OCEAN 20 can be realized during environmental issues that are getting worse day by day?

Ocean-20 itself is a policy advocacy activity that can be set on a socio-economic and environmental basis, seeking to restore and sustainably use the oceans and marine resources as blue natural capital now and in the future. Here are the themes for his O20 event at the G20 summit:

"Building Stronger Ocean Prosperity for All" 

(Recover Together, Recover Stronger)

The O20 event itself was attended by 450 guests, including:

• Representatives of G20 governments and representatives of friendly countries;
• Intergovernmental and Non-Governmental Organizations;
• Private Sector;
• Academics and Experts on the topic of the conference.

The topics of the O20 meeting are:

• Blue Economy;

According to the World Bank, the blue economy is "The ecological use of marine resources to promote economic growth, prosperity, and livelihoods and to preserve marine ecosystems." This blue economy includes several industries such as fishing, renewable energy, tourism, water transportation, waste management, and climate protection. Guided by the concept of sustainability, every sector can contribute to realizing a prosperous Indonesia and the world.

• Blue Energy;

Blue energy, also known as ocean energy, is a term that describes methods of generating electricity through the convergence of freshwater and seawater. This energy can be obtained in several ways, including tidal power, wave power, thermal energy conversion, and osmosis. This energy can also be harvested by wind forces associated with bodies of water (usually oceans).

The company's environmental benefits and blue energy are invaluable. Both technologies are renewable and emit no greenhouse gases, so harnessing this energy, when possible, can help reduce global warming and other impacts of burning fossil fuels. In addition, blue energy does not take up as much as the energy grid does and does not harm the ecosystem as mining and drilling do.

• Blue Carbon;

According to an article on the United Nations Foundation's official website, blue carbon is a loose term that refers to the carbon stored in the world's oceans and coastal ecosystems, including salt marshes, mangroves, and seagrass. Like trees, healthy marine and coastal ecosystems absorb and sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Some ocean systems can sequester 10 times more carbon per hectare than forests and it can strengthen the resilience of coastal areas. We should protect this!

• Blue Food;

Based on the Blue Food Assessment official website, Blue Foods -- also known as aquatic foods -- are foods obtained or grown from seas, rivers, lakes, ponds, canals, and tanks. Blue foods can be obtained from aquatic animals, plants, or algae. They protect the livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people and are an important food source for billions of people around the world.

Sustainably produced blue food helps achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including the goals to end hunger and improve health (SDGs 2 and 3). Increase the sustainability of our oceans, water, climate, and land (SDGs 6, 13, 14, 15). Achieve gender equality, improve livelihoods, and reduce inequality (SDGs 5, 8, and 10).

• Blue Investment;

Previously this topic had also been discussed and there was a program called BlueInvest organized by the EU. Based on EU Official Website, BlueInvest aims to foster innovation and investment in sustainable technologies for the blue economy by supporting early-stage companies, SMEs, scale-up readiness, and access to finance. This is made possible by the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund.

• Marine Tourism;

Based on the Indian Ocean Rim Association document, Orams (1999) defines marine tourism as including 'those recreational activities that involve travel away from one's place of residence and which have as their host or focus the marine environment (where the marine environment is defined as those waters which are saline and tide-affected)'

• Marine Pollution;

Based on the National Geographic website, Marine pollution is a combination of chemicals and debris, most of which originate on land and are washed into the ocean or blown away. This pollution damaged the environment, the health of all living things, and the economic structure of the world.

• Marine Conservation;

Based on a book called 'Marine Conservation: Science, Policy, and Management by G. Carleton Ray and Jerry McCormick-Ray, Marine Conservation is the protection and conservation of the oceans and marine ecosystems through planned management to prevent overexploitation of these marine resources. Marine conservation is grounded in the study of marine flora and fauna resources and ecosystem functioning and is driven by responding to apparent adverse environmental impacts, such as species loss, habitat degradation, and changes in ecosystem functioning, and human. Focusing on limiting the damage caused by marine ecosystems, restoration of degraded marine ecosystems, and protecting endangered species and ecosystems of marine life. Marine conservation is a relatively new field that has developed in response to biological problems such as extinction and marine habitat change.

• Maritime Skills.

Apart from the eight topics above, this topic regarding maritime skills is no less important. This maritime skill is really needed in the implementation of the eight topics above.

The O20, with the support of the World Economic Forum (WEF), will be led by Indonesia during the 2022 G20 Presidency, followed by a G20 Presidency that will work closely with relevant industry and civil society on the G20 agenda. The World Economic Forum (WEF) is well positioned to help realize and enhance of the O20 platform with its existing portfolio of activities on the oceans and climate agenda.

 

So, what is the importance of O20 in the G20?

If we protect our oceans and use their resources sustainably, they have great potential to boost economic growth, create jobs, and mitigate some of our most severe climate impacts. This is also called the "Blue Economy". With members representing 45% of the world's coastlines and 21% of its exclusive economic zones, the G20 has a special obligation to protect marine ecosystems, and as the world continues post-pandemic, it is important to develop ocean-based climate solutions in a good position to implement recovery. A 2021 report by the High-Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy states that combining ocean-based climate and nature-based solutions such as these will produce about 4 billion tonnes per year by 2030 and it has been found that over 11 billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced. That's the equivalent of him shutting down all the coal-fired power plants in the world for a year. Even modest investment in these solutions to build a sustainable blue economy can go a long way towards achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal number 14 (Life Under the Sea).

The ocean already makes a significant contribution to the global economy through resources, jobs, livelihoods, food, and transportation, and has the potential to become a major source of clean energy from offshore waves, solar, and wind. Healthy oceans are also important for regulating the climate system and weather and, as mentioned above, are the largest carbon sinks on Earth. However, several major anthropogenic causes are seriously compromising ocean health. We all know that: Severe global warming is causing climate change, resulting in accelerated ice melt, sea level rise, and acidification. From plastics to chemicals and other substances, most of the world's pollution ends up in our oceans. At the same time, overexploitation and a lack of consistent and sustainable fishing strategies, have led to significant declines in species.

For the above reasons, the realization of OCEAN 20 is considered important. Business and government leaders at the global level, as well as local, national and regional levels, can and should play a key role in changing this paradigm. Leaders from all G20 sectors, individually or collectively, can address market dynamics and expand trade. Ensure effective governance, policy-making, and implementation, increasing the resilience of marine and coastal ecosystems through sustainable best practices.

What is Indonesia's role as President and host of the 2022 G20 Summit regarding OCEAN 20?

Indonesia, this year's President and host of the 2022 G20 Summit, will lead by example, investing heavily in marine and coastal ecosystem governance, promoting equitable economic access, reducing marine litter, restoration of Mangroves and other wetlands. Indonesia's mangroves are said to help mitigate the impacts of climate change as they store substantial amounts of carbon equivalent to about 3.1 billion tonnes. This equates to greenhouse gas emissions from driving about 2.5 billion cars a year. 

Indonesia has 3.5 million hectares of mangroves, about 23% of the world's total mangroves, and the most diverse of 92 true mangrove species. Unfortunately, Indonesia loses a significant amount of mangroves each year. Much of this mangrove loss is caused by the conversion of mangrove forests in Kalimantan and Sulawesi to ponds, especially for shrimp. Not only are mangrove forests being converted to ponds, but mangroves are also being lost due to conversion to oil palm plantations and coastal development for urban expansion. This poses a threat to the mangrove ecosystem and becomes a problem, not only in Indonesia but also in the world.

During a series of G20 events in Indonesia, President Joko Widodo invited world leaders attending the 2022 G20 Summit to plant mangroves together. This series of events is a form of shared engagement to tackle global climate change, in line with the G20 theme of 'Recover Together, Recover Stronger'. Mangroves are known to absorb carbon, protect the land from erosion, provide habitat for marine life, and prevent sea abrasion. It is hoped that the mangrove planting event will become a driving force for the regeneration of mangrove forests towards the creation of a blue economy, which is the goal of the OCEAN 20 implementation.

President Jokowi, G20 Leaders Plant Mangrove in BaliSource: https://setkab.go.id/en/president-jokowi-g20-leaders-plant-mangrove-in-bali/ Image caption

Indonesia-Australia Cooperation in OCEAN 20

One of the Press Releases regarding OCEAN 20, there is one that mentions Indonesia-Australia cooperation in the context of organizing OCEAN 20. Deputy Marine Resources Coordinator in support of OCEAN 20 hosted a Blue Carbon Workshop on Seagrass Ecosystems and Livelihoods from 5-7 October 2022 in Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara. The conference was attended by international and subject matter experts, including Andy Steven (CSIRO-Australia), Carlos Duarte (KAUST-Saudi Arabia), Neil Dave (Google X), and Stevan Lutz (GRID-Arendal). The governments of Indonesia and Australia have joined the Indonesia-Australia Blue Carbon Program to provide actionable policy recommendations, particularly related to blue carbon in seagrass ecosystems.

According to Plt. Deputy for Coordination of Marine Resources, Indonesia will always support the development of a blue economy and blue carbon to create a healthy and sustainable ocean, especially by combating unsustainable fishing and crime in the fisheries sector, as a substitute for regulating marine resources. Seagrass meadows play an important role as nursery habitats, providing shelter and food, supporting commercial fisheries, biodiversity, and blue carbon, and improving surrounding water quality.

Given the scale of benefits offered, Indonesia and Australia continue to monitor seagrass ecosystems for development, with collaborations including joint research, capacity building, and technology and knowledge transfer. To help build capacity and raise awareness to protect the world's largest seagrass ecosystem, the Indonesian government has issued Presidential Decree No. 16 of 2017 on the Indonesian Ocean Policy (KKI). The policy consists of seven main pillars, with the fifth pillar governing marine spatial planning and protection of the marine environment. Some strategic guidelines and priorities in Indonesia's marine spatial management are the currently integrated Land-Sea Spatial Plan, Management of Marine Protected Areas, and Indonesia's Marine Health Index (IKLI).

From a political perspective, the conservation and restoration of Indonesia's marine ecosystems are done through the establishment and management of marine protected areas by the government. Increasing the effectiveness of protected area management is expected to protect coastal and marine ecosystems. OCEAN 20 also looks forward to your support and sustained action to protect the oceans from other G20 members.

 

Indonesia and the World Economic Forum in Building a Low-Carbon Economy

Indonesia continues to make various efforts to provide the best real solution for the people of Indonesia and around the world. For this reason, the Minister of Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto recently held a bilateral meeting in parallel with the activities of the G20 Summit in order to reach various useful agreements and strengthen bilateral relations and cooperation that have existed so far.

Reporting from the Press Release of the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia which is published on its official website, it is stated that the Coordinating Minister Airlangga held a bilateral meeting with the Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Klaus Schwab on the sidelines of holding a side event to the G20 Summit, on 14 November 2022. The press release also stated that Indonesia has renewable energy sources that have the potential to be developed in the future, namely hydro-based energy in North Kalimantan and ocean current-based energy which is currently being developed in East Nusa Tenggara.

In the bilateral meeting, Klaus Schwab said that Indonesia must maintain positive economic growth. Indonesia, which has abundant agricultural products in the mining, agriculture, plantation, and other environmental sectors, must continue to promote sustainable economic development. Not only that, but WEF also emphasizes the importance of protecting the oceans, because apart from acting as a stabilizer for the temperature of the earth's surface, the oceans they contain are also a source of food for mankind. This has become one of WEF's main focuses in collaborating with various countries, especially island nations through the Ocean 20 forum launched in collaboration with Indonesia.

 

Realization or Imagination?

One of the major challenges that ocean research has revealed is that ineffective governance is a devastating obstacle to the progress of a truly sustainable ocean economy. addressing this challenge recognizes the urgent need for an integrated and holistic approach to ocean management to halt and reverse the current deterioration in ocean health. OCEAN 20 was created and organized to fill this gap.

Indonesia's commitment to initiating OCEAN 20 to protect the oceans and build a sustainable marine economy can be seen from the issuance of Presidential Regulation Number 16 of 2017 concerning the Indonesian Maritime Policy (KKI). Indonesia has also made other commitments by implementing the Month Love the Sea (BCL) program initiated by the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries. The UN Special Envoy called this program a good step as a solution to reduce plastic waste in the sea.

Bulan Cinta LautSource:  kkp.go.id

With the various efforts and policies that have been made and described above for the realization of the OCEAN 20 program, we can reasonably hope that the OCEAN 20 program will be realized properly and not just by imagination. Even though they are still hit by environmental and marine health issues, various efforts are still being carried out for the realization of the vision and mission of OCEAN 20.