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M. S. Sinapoy and S. Djalante
Analysis and Discussion
Climate Change and Its Impact
The issue of climate change has recently become an interesting issue discussed both
at global and local levels. Climate change is an implication of global warming,
which is caused by increases in greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide (CO 2 )
and methane (CH 4 ), which are mostly produced by industrialization, transportation,
forest fires, and deforestation. Thus, climate is one of the basic elements for understanding natural phenomena and the development of civilization throughout history.
Climate change determines most of the modification of human nature and culture
because human beings must adapt to changing conditions which sometimes become
important elements that can increase or threaten their existence.
This climate change affects all its main parts, namely the atmosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere, and biosphere. There are two main things that occur in the lower
atmosphere, namely high rainfall fluctuations and sea level rise. This is due to the
geographical difference in solar radiation, which is much higher in the Equator than
in the Pole, resulting in a movement of air. The period of heated air in the Equator
area causes severe rainstorms when hot air rises. Climate variation is a major factor
in the diversity and emergence of new species.
As an archipelagic country, Indonesia is most vulnerable to sea level rise. Sea
level rise projections for the Indonesian region have been carried out, until the year
2100; it is estimated that sea level rise of up to 1.1 m has resulted in the loss of
90,260 km
2 of coastal areas and small islands. Indeed, if we consider that there are
a number of small islands in Indonesia that have sunk, conditions like this need to
be dealt with because if not long after the small islands there will sink. Emil Salim
also said that climate change would eliminate 3000 islands and reduce the region’s
borders.
So, Indonesia has a high vulnerability to climate change. Some climate studies and
projections from domestic and foreign institutions show that the climate in Indonesia
has undergone changes; it appears that climate change has an impact on multisector.
In terms of climate projections based on the Global Climate Model (GCM), there
are at least three sources of uncertainty that must be taken into account, namely
the scenario of greenhouse gas emissions, global climate sensitivity to greenhouse
gas emissions (selection of GCM models), and regional climate system response to
global warming (downscaling model). Saad in Ari Wibowo stated that this was related
to the existence of Indonesia as the largest archipelago in the world with a total of
17,504 islands. About 12.38% or around 2342 islands are inhabited. The remaining
87.62% or as many as 15,337 islands are uninhabited. Indonesia’s vulnerability is
also caused by human activity factors that are less concerned with environmental
sustainability aspects because of the large-scale conversion of forests without regard
to sustainability, the use of fossil fuels, the opening of mangroves in coastal areas,
and the destruction of coral reefs that are still being carried out.
M. S. Sinapoy and S. Djalante
Analysis and Discussion
Climate Change and Its Impact
The issue of climate change has recently become an interesting issue discussed both
at global and local levels. Climate change is an implication of global warming,
which is caused by increases in greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide (CO 2 )
and methane (CH 4 ), which are mostly produced by industrialization, transportation,
forest fires, and deforestation. Thus, climate is one of the basic elements for understanding natural phenomena and the development of civilization throughout history.
Climate change determines most of the modification of human nature and culture
because human beings must adapt to changing conditions which sometimes become
important elements that can increase or threaten their existence.
This climate change affects all its main parts, namely the atmosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere, and biosphere. There are two main things that occur in the lower
atmosphere, namely high rainfall fluctuations and sea level rise. This is due to the
geographical difference in solar radiation, which is much higher in the Equator than
in the Pole, resulting in a movement of air. The period of heated air in the Equator
area causes severe rainstorms when hot air rises. Climate variation is a major factor
in the diversity and emergence of new species.
As an archipelagic country, Indonesia is most vulnerable to sea level rise. Sea
level rise projections for the Indonesian region have been carried out, until the year
2100; it is estimated that sea level rise of up to 1.1 m has resulted in the loss of
90,260 km
2 of coastal areas and small islands. Indeed, if we consider that there are
a number of small islands in Indonesia that have sunk, conditions like this need to
be dealt with because if not long after the small islands there will sink. Emil Salim
also said that climate change would eliminate 3000 islands and reduce the region’s
borders.
So, Indonesia has a high vulnerability to climate change. Some climate studies and
projections from domestic and foreign institutions show that the climate in Indonesia
has undergone changes; it appears that climate change has an impact on multisector.
In terms of climate projections based on the Global Climate Model (GCM), there
are at least three sources of uncertainty that must be taken into account, namely
the scenario of greenhouse gas emissions, global climate sensitivity to greenhouse
gas emissions (selection of GCM models), and regional climate system response to
global warming (downscaling model). Saad in Ari Wibowo stated that this was related
to the existence of Indonesia as the largest archipelago in the world with a total of
17,504 islands. About 12.38% or around 2342 islands are inhabited. The remaining
87.62% or as many as 15,337 islands are uninhabited. Indonesia’s vulnerability is
also caused by human activity factors that are less concerned with environmental
sustainability aspects because of the large-scale conversion of forests without regard
to sustainability, the use of fossil fuels, the opening of mangroves in coastal areas,
and the destruction of coral reefs that are still being carried out.