Jakarta, INTI - Indonesia’s Ministry of Environment (KLH) is accelerating efforts to restore and protect the country’s lake ecosystems to strengthen water, food, and energy security, using World Lake Day 2026 as a platform to advance the protection of inland water resources.
Minister of Environment and Head of the Environmental Control Agency (BPLH), Moh Jumhur Hidayat, said World Lake Day, observed annually on August 27, serves as a crucial moment to strengthen efforts to protect Indonesia’s inland water ecosystems.
“Lakes are more than bodies of water. They are vital sources of life that support food and energy security, water resources, tourism, carbon absorption, microclimate stabilization, and the cultural life of communities,” Jumhur said.
He noted that thousands of lakes across Indonesia are facing environmental degradation, including damaged watersheds, conversion of lake buffer zones, pollution, eutrophication, excessive floating cage aquaculture beyond ecological capacity, invasive aquatic weeds, the spread of non-native fish species, and sedimentation that contributes to lake shallowing.
Because lakes typically have long water retention times, ecosystem recovery can take years and requires consistent, integrated management from upstream to downstream areas.
“Lake restoration is a long-term process that requires an integrated upstream-to-downstream approach and can no longer be delayed,” Jumhur said.
Restoring 15 National Priority Lakes
KLH/BPLH, together with regional governments, is implementing Ecosystem Protection and Management Plans (RPPE) for 15 National Priority Lakes during the 2025–2029 period as a concrete step toward ecosystem restoration.
The program focuses on improving water quality, controlling pollution, managing floating cage aquaculture zones, rehabilitating watersheds, controlling aquatic weeds, protecting endemic biodiversity, and aligning regional spatial planning.
KLH/BPLH has also outlined three key policy commitments moving forward: strengthening regulations for lake ecosystem protection at both national and regional levels, expanding cross-sector collaboration, and placing lake conservation more prominently on the global water agenda.
Conclusion
Indonesia is taking a long-term, integrated approach to lake restoration by combining stronger environmental policies, watershed rehabilitation, pollution control, and cross-sector collaboration to safeguard water, food, and energy security.
Read more: UPNVJ Implements Solar-Powered IoT Smart Irrigation System for Sustainable Agriculture