President Joko Widodo opened the Indonesian International Sustainability Forum (ISF) 2024 in Jakarta on Thursday (5/9) with a call to strengthen global cooperation to confront the climate crisis and accelerate the international sustainability agenda.

‘Indonesia is open to partnering with anyone to maximise the potential for a greener world. To provide access to equitable green energy, for inclusive and equitable economic growth. I hope this ISF forum can become a meeting place for knowledge, experience, and resources that can become joint capital in collaborating to overcome existing climate challenges,’ President Joko Widodo said in his speech in the presence of ministers of friendly countries, Ministers of the Indonesia Maju cabinet, CEOs, philanthropic leaders, leading experts, and international community leaders in the field of climate action.

According to the President, Indonesia has abundant green energy potential, reaching more than 3,600 GW. The country also has a Floating Solar Power Plant (PLTS) in Cirata that has a capacity of 192 MW peak, the largest in Southeast Asia and the third largest in the world.

The President added that Indonesia also has great potential in carbon sequestration, through the world's largest mangrove forest covering 3.3 million hectares, which can absorb carbon 8-12 times better than tropical rainforests. In addition, Indonesia has a green industrial area of 13,000 hectares.

‘But all these will not have a significant impact on accelerating the handling of climate change impacts as long as developed countries do not dare to invest, as long as research and technology are not widely opened, and as long as funding is not provided with schemes that alleviate developing countries,’ he said.

‘We need a collaborative, humane approach and collaboration between developed and developing countries, because collaboration is not an option and humanity is not an option, but a necessity and an obligation,’ the President added.

Organised by the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment (Kemenko Marves) and the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin), ISF 2024 is designed to foster international collaboration and share best practices in decarbonisation, to strengthen global efforts towards sustainable development.

With more than 11,000 registered participants from 53 countries, the ISF is billed as the second largest climate action meeting in the Asia-Pacific region after the upcoming COP29 which will take place in Azerbaijan's capital, Baku.

Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Luhut Pandjaitan, emphasised the importance of Indonesia's role in advancing sustainability in the region, noting that Indonesia has abundant natural resources, including critical minerals, that can accelerate the transition to a greener and cleaner economic path.

‘That is why Indonesia is organising the ISF 2024 event. I hope that in the future, this forum can become ‘The Davos for Sustainability’ in the Asia-Pacific. This ISF forum is expected to be a forum for sharing knowledge, experiences, and resources to face the challenges we face together,’ said the Minister.

‘Indonesia is at an important juncture in its history, where the need to adopt a green and clean economic path is non-negotiable. However, in our efforts to lift Indonesia out of the middle income bracket, a strategic approach is needed to sustain green growth so that Indonesia can become a developed country by 2045. Therefore, achieving a balance between economic growth and climate commitments is crucial, and one way to achieve this is through strong collaboration based on the principle of mutual respect,’ the Minister added.

According to Luhut, the ISF will be held again next year in Bali, with a larger scale and focus on marine expeditions.

Echoing the same view, Chairman of Kadin Indonesia, Arsjad Rasjid, emphasised that the business world has a strategic position to create sustainable positive impacts.

‘The era where profit was the only goal of the private sector has passed. Today, businesses hold an important role and responsibility in achieving sustainability and contributing to poverty alleviation. With great capital comes a strong responsibility to empower communities and protect the planet by investing in a future where economic growth is aligned with climate commitments,’ said Arsjad.

ISF 2024 will take an in-depth look at five key pillars of sustainable growth: (i) Energy transition; (ii) Green industry; (iii) Biodiversity and nature conservation; (iv) Sustainable lifestyle; and (v) Blue economy. Over the course of two days, the event will also address key enabling factors in achieving sustainable growth, such as green financing and carbon pricing, technology, human capital, and policy and international collaboration.

The Forum features more than 250 speakers from government, business sector, multilateral organisations, civil society, think-tanks, and youth, who will engage in in-depth discussions on key drivers of sustainable growth through 10 plenary sessions and 15 thematic sessions.

Some of the keynote speakers at ISF 2024 include Singapore's Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean, Malaysia's Deputy Prime Minister Fadillah Yusof, Singapore's Minister for Labour Tan See Leng, UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Oceans Peter Thomson, French Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Special Advisor on Climate Action Kevin Magron, Bezos Earth Fund CEO Andrew Steer, and Air Asia CEO Tony Fernandez.

The ISF will also facilitate the signing of 12 Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) related to energy transition, further strengthening the commitment towards a sustainable future. In addition to attending the forum, around 500 VIP guests will enjoy a gala dinner with entertainment in the form of video mapping at the National Monument (Monas), a light show that uses projectors to display animated images or videos.

Special guests of the ISF 2024 gala dinner will be entertained by a number of artists, including Putri Ariani, Dwiki Dharmawan, Saykoji, Anank Ganzerlana Choir, and an eco-friendly fashion parade from Yayasan Puteri Indonesia.

ISF 2024 is also supported by ISF advocates, namely actress Chelsea Islan, actor Dion Wiyoko, and Puteri Indonesia Intelegensia 2024, Lady Diandra, who play a role in disseminating information about ISF 2024 and encouraging the participation of the younger generation in the forum. These advocates were chosen for their achievements, concern for the environment, and commitment to realising sustainable growth.