The recent decline of air quality in Indonesia’s capital and its satellite cities has sparked public discussion on the impact of human activities on the environment including Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. Much of the discussion was about who, or which sector, is to blame for the fog enveloping the once blue skies. the transport sector was put into the spotlight as it is the third most polluting sector in Indonesia, just below the energy and industry sector. According to the DKI Jakarta Environment Agency, the transport sector in Jakarta produced more than 13 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions in 2018, an increasing trend from the previous four years.
Therefore, on 7 September 2023, an event was conducted by the Centre for Land Transportation Human Resources Development titled “Reducing Land Transportation Footprint.” SUTRI NAMA & INDOBUS participated and presented its findings on how sustainable mass public transport could contribute to the minimisation of transport GHG emissions.Environmental aspect has always been an integral part of the planning and implementation of SUTRI NAMA & INDOBUS, proven by the completion of studies that incorporate the calculation of potential GHG emission reduction from the public transport sector in 5 pilot cities, namely Bandung, Batam, Makassar, Pekanbaru, and Semarang, as well as the ongoing study in Surabaya. The studies were formulated as a part of a greater effort to support the Indonesian government, especially the Ministry of Transportation, in achieving transformational changes in the Indonesian transport sector.
The studies discovered that when the community shift from private vehicle to public transport, more specifically Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), GHG emission reduction from the transport sector could be achieved. In Bandung, for example, the study forecasted that a 5 percent of the shift from private vehicles to BRT would potentially reduce GHG emissions by 66.2 percent in 2031 and will reduce more than double that amount by 2041.
Using Well-to-Wheel approach, the study also presented calculations of mixed diesel and electric bus fleets in Makassar and Batam that would be beneficial compared to using a 100 percent diesel bus fleet. The analysis shows that although the mixed fleet BRT project increases GHG emissions during the initial operation, by 2033, it would reduce emissions by as much as 2.1 kt CO2eq per year.
To reach these ideals, a holistic approach is of paramount importance. During the event, SUTRI NAMA & INDOBUS highlighted several challenges worth noting so they could be improved in the future to cultivate a collaborative and supportive environment in the sustainable transport sector. One of the challenges is acquiring high-quality data for calculating and implementing the Measuring, Reporting, and Verifying (MRV) process from the proposed mitigation actions. When high-quality data is available and easily accessible from numerous agencies, it is easier to monitor GHG emission reduction accurately throughout the project’s lifetime. Furthermore, it is crucial to encourage the community to shift to public transport. Achieving this goal necessitates the improvement of supporting facilities such as pedestrian, park and ride facilities, and others that require coordination from stakeholders outside the transport sector. Thus, collaboration between the ministries at the national level and coordinating agencies at the provincial and city levels should be promoted.
It is only when urban transport is adequate for all that positive outcomes are surely to happen to many aspects of urban life, like a ripple effect. The shift from private vehicles to sustainable public transport would reduce congestion, thus saving more time on the road and leading to more productive economic activity. Less congestion would also mean the reduction of GHG emissions that would make the sky clearer and improve the health of the city’s residents down the line.
Link to Further Materials
Recording of Transport for Better Tomorrow
Contact Person
Puput Rashati
Key Buzzwords
Sustainable, Transport, Infrastructure, Indonesia, Urban, Mobility, BRT
