Indonesia is reigniting plans to construct a colossal sea wall as part of ongoing efforts to counter the accelerated sinking of its capital city, Jakarta. Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto unveiled the latest blueprint for the sea wall at an event in Jakarta on Wednesday (Jan 10), outlining a three-phase construction endeavor extending beyond 2040. The first two phases alone necessitate 164.1 trillion rupiah (US$10.5 billion) in funding, according to Hartarto, who did not specify the financial requirements for the third phase.

While discussions about the sea wall have persisted for over a decade, the proposal gained renewed momentum as Jakarta has earned the dubious distinction of being the world's fastest-sinking megacity. The urgency stems from the capital's annual descent of up to 25cm and tidal floods rising by as much as 200cm. Jakarta, home to over 10 million people on Java Island, has witnessed certain areas sinking by as much as 4m between 1997 and 2005. Experts warn that a third of the city could be submerged by 2050 if unchecked.

Tidal floods in coastal Jakarta were estimated to incur losses of 2.1 trillion rupiah annually, a figure projected to potentially surge to 10 trillion rupiah within the next decade. In an effort to mitigate sinking and alleviate pressure on Jakarta, Indonesia has implemented restrictions on groundwater extraction and advocated for the creation of a $34 billion capital city named Nusantara in Borneo's jungle.

With Indonesia set to elect a new leader on Feb 14, it remains uncertain whether the successor to President Joko Widodo will continue the ambitious infrastructure project. Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto, a frontrunner in presidential election surveys, expressed reservations about the sea wall's 40-year completion timeline, emphasizing the need for political leaders with the focus, vision, and capability to see through the project. "This is our responsibility," Subianto stated at the sea wall plan's launch.

BOB Post