The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has issued a concerning warning, indicating that Indonesia is at risk of potential disruptions in food security due to a vulnerability caused by a shortage of water, triggered by the escalating Earth’s surface temperatures.
During a recent session with the Indonesian House of Representatives Commission V, Dwikorita Karnawati, the head of BMKG, expressed the severity of the situation. She highlighted that there has been a notable increase in temperatures up to the year 2023, approximately 1.2 degrees Celsius higher than in the pre-industrial revolution era. The last eight years have marked a record as the hottest period in history.
The ongoing rise in the Earth’s surface temperature, a trend evident throughout the current year, has reached unprecedented levels. July 2023, in particular, stands out as the hottest July on record compared to preceding years.
The global increase in temperature has been an ongoing phenomenon since the 1850s, primarily attributed to the continuous expansion of industrial activities. This upward trajectory is anticipated to persist until the year 2023.
Dwikorita emphasized that Indonesia, owing to its extensive maritime areas, has not experienced a significant temperature rise. The vastness of the seas acts as a cooling factor for the nation.
However, the consequences of the escalating Earth’s temperature include the emergence of global water hotspots, leading to drought conditions. The impact of water scarcity, as projected by the World Meteorological Organization, particularly in Indonesia, highlighted in orange, suggests a considerable vulnerability to food security.
Looking ahead to 2050, Dwikorita projected that food security indicators worldwide would be marked in orange or even black. Indonesia, falling into the medium or orange category, may encounter difficulties with imports as countries that produce food experience more severe drought conditions.
In addition to these concerns, Dwikorita presented BMKG’s observations on the factors contributing to climate change. A notable spike in Earth’s temperature, attributed to the concentration of CO2 at GAW Kototabang, rising from around 370 ppm to 415 ppm, was highlighted.
Remarkably, this region is situated amidst a forest, free from pollution. However, the observations suggest that CO2 levels in urban areas will also rise, resulting in the formation of a greenhouse gas layer in the atmosphere.
This layer impedes solar radiation from escaping back into space, leading to consequential impacts on Earth, including Indonesia. Examples of these impacts include the projected extinction of Jayawijaya mountain peaks in 2025 and the increasing frequency of extreme weather conditions.
To address these pressing issues, BMKG is actively engaging in climate change adaptation training, enhancing climate literacy among the public, and promoting the transition from fossil to non-fossil energy sources. These initiatives aim to mitigate the potential repercussions of the climate crisis in Indonesia and contribute to global efforts in combating climate change.
