City of Ternate and City of Mataram, both are Climate Resilient and Inclusive Cities (CRIC) Project’s pilot cities informed their current status of climate adaptation and mitigation plans in front of CRIC international partners: Pilot4DEV and ACR+, at online dialogue forum event in Thursday, June 23, 2022. CRIC Project is European Union funded Project implemented by UCLG ASPAC.

The event – chaired by Aniessa Delima Sari, Regional Project Manager, United Cities and Local Governments Asia Pacific (UCLG ASPAC) – provided chances for both cities to discuss initiatives to reduce greenhouse gases emissions and adapt to dangerous effects of climate change based on different city risk profiles.

Climate Change Working Group in Ternate for example has prepared climate action plan based on the city’s profile that is prone to high level of disasters – the reason why it becomes one of the CRIC pilot projects. Disasters in Ternate include geological disasters (volcanic eruptions and tsunamis) and hydrometeorological disasters (extreme weather and extreme waves) that cause extraordinary coastal abrasion that requires careful handling.

The city’s received recommendations based on the City Urban Analysis Report in 2020 to reduce air pollution, waste and developing early warning systems for the city to adapt the dangerous effects of climate crisis. According to city’s official, there are 10 sub-districts in Ternate City which are prone to extreme weather, thus the city is aware of the importance of climate adaptation and mitigation plans and actions. The documents will support national strategic climate action plan in Ternate.

Ternate has built sea walls, especially in the northern part of the city, to protect community housings in coastal areas from coastal abrasion. And the city will build early warning system using local wisdoms and equipment like TOA or speakers from mosques to warn communities whenever possible.

As of for City of Mataram, the city hit by an earthquake in 2018 and is continuously having man-made disaster: a piling waste, garbage. The City’s Mayor has created a decree on climate adaptation and mitigation planning that has been included in city’s mid-term planning.

City of Mataram, assisted by CRIC adaptation training, has also created climate risk profile and acknowledged that 50 sub-districts (kelurahan) in Mataram are experiencing extreme rainfall.

Mataram is trying to integrate biodigester and maggot to solve waste problems and initiate – already working – community based waste management. Location is ready and further supports are needed from relevant stakeholders and CRIC partners. The city already received trainings from several institutions including PT.SMI to get funding. Mataram officials also mentioned that the city has developed concept notes for waste to energy mechanism and is interested to have pilot project for waste to energy.

CRIC International partners responded by hoping that they could continue the interaction and cooperation based on valuable documents produced by partners and cities to participate directly in development in Indonesia. Partners are also willing to visit these two beautiful cities Ternate and Mataram and understand that there is discrepancy between result of urban study and reality at field.

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Contributors: Aniessa Delima Sari (UCLG ASPAC Regional Project Manager), Yusak Subnafeu (CRIC Field Officer for Mataram and Kupang), Muhamad Rizki Satria (CRIC Field Officer for Gorontalo and Ternate), Abimanyu Arya (CRIC Internship)