The 7th APEKSI National Conference, themed “Dari APEKSI untuk Negeri”, was held in Surabaya from 6–10 May 2025 and attended by representatives from 98 cities across Indonesia. As part of the conference, the GCoM Country Coordinator for Indonesia participated in a side event focused on environmental issues, titled “Indonesia’s Waste Emergency: Strategies for Management”, held on 7 May. Surabaya, a GCoM member since 2016, hosted the forum.
The event was officially opened by Mr. Eri Cahyadi, Mayor of Surabaya and Chairperson of APEKSI. In his address, he emphasized the importance of innovation, courage, and behavioral change in tackling waste management challenges. He encouraged cities to collaborate through APEKSI and urged participants to openly share their challenges with the national government.
In his keynote speech, the Minister of Environment highlighted the urgency of meeting waste management targets outlined in Presidential Regulation No. 12/2025, which sets 2029 as the deadline for full implementation. Despite a decade of efforts, only 39.1% progress has been made, with the 2025 target set at 51.2%. The Minister reiterated that mayors and regents bear full responsibility under Law No. 18/2008 and must serve as role models, as emphasized by the President.
He also noted that environmental laws mandate the “polluter pays” principle and prohibit open dumping, yet 50 of Indonesia’s 96 cities still operate such landfill practices. Out of 550 landfill sites nationwide, 343 still use open dumping methods. The government is encouraging innovation, enforcing environmental standards, and allocating IDR 15 trillion to support these efforts. Additionally, regional governments may invest in waste projects, provided that Danantara retains majority ownership and vendors are selected via the national procurement system.
As a follow-up, GCoM Indonesia will collaborate with the APEKSI Climate Change Working Group to support their upcoming activities through a series of webinars, which will not only address technical issues related to waste management but also explore financing aspects—an area that remains a significant challenge for many cities.
Contributor: Isabella Hutasoit, GCoM Country Coordinator Indonesia
