TUEWAS

The Circular Consortium, supported by the 3RproMar project, has been trusted to convey its pilot project “Integrated Private Sector Initiatives to Prevent Waste and Optimize Plastic Material Cycles.” Indonesia is still short on standardized format of return system, and as such 3RproMar aims to revolutionize the approach to plastic waste management in Indonesia through a Digital Return System (DRS). With the Circular Consortium, 3RproMar is able to set in motion its initiative “Closing the loop: Enabling Sustainable Plastic Recycle through Digital Return System.” 3RproMar showcases a multistakeholder EPR system that can be implemented embracing the local context in Indonesia: informal sector integration.

To get the ball rolling, the inception of the Pilot Project was started under the title: “Closing the loop: Enabling Sustainable Plastic Recycle through Digital Return System” The event was held 30th Octobre in Bandung to showcase 3RproMar’s efforts to not only involve packaging producers, brands, retailers, service providers, but also informal sectors of waste as well as recyclers and off takers with an integrated approach powered by a profound blockchain based digital system.

Parallel session at the 8th Asia‐Pacific Urban Forum (APUF‐8)

The session, entitled Enabling Frameworks to Support Asian Cities’ Ability to Access Climate Finance, was well attended by (67 registered participants) and confirmed the critical importance of enabling cities access to climate finance. The panelists’ discussion in a follow-up to CCFLA’s keynote presentation on methodology for assessing Enabling Framework Conditions (EFC) provided important inputs that will be taken into account when finalizing the EFC.

The key messages conveyed by the panel speakers included:

i) example of relevant government regulatory provisions from Philippines,
ii) local government conditionalities and experience of the City of Medan,
iii) challenges in accessing climate finance faced by cities in India,
iv) high significance of innovative approaches to consolidated transboundary urban project finance through inter-municipal collaboration of six cities (IMT-GT), and finally
v) examples of financing instruments and mechanisms presented by the international climate financing institution (GCF).

There are pressing energy management (EnMS) challenges within the municipalities of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) provinces. To combat these issues, a comprehensive training campaign plan was set up to formulate data-driven policy recommendations focusing on the benefits of EnMS and the ways to optimise energy consumption. Municipal Officers (MOs), Engineers, and Chief Officers are at the forefront of Municipal management, benefiting the community through improved services and reduced public resource burdens.

The results of these training(s) were impressive, with 148 municipalities in Punjab and 128 in KPK having enriched the policy landscape through practical recommendations to improve energy efficiency at the local level. These initiatives have empowered 1,189 officials in total – 513 in Punjab and 676 in KPK. The statistics underscore the commitment to data-driven, sustainable, and responsible governance. The recommendations from municipal officers reflect valuable insights, symbolising a commitment to progress and sustainability. These initiatives empower local governments, benefit entire communities, and exemplify the potential for a more energy-efficient and sustainable future.

SUTRI NAMA & INDOBUS has been supporting the Pekanbaru City Government in developing sustainable urban transport through the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, both physical infrastructure such as priority lanes and BRT stations, and non-physical infrastructure such as the legal framework for financing schemes. To further solidify the commitment of the city government to provide public transport in Pekanbaru, the Country Director of GIZ Indonesia & ASEAN engaged in a constructive meeting with the high-level officials of Pekanbaru City Government officials on 19 October 2023. During the meeting, the GIZ Country Director also handed over a showcase of the BRT Pekanbaru design to the Mayor of Pekanbaru. The mayor was pleased with the BRT design and acknowledged that the BRT system would reduce congestion and air pollution in Pekanbaru. He also appreciates SUTRI NAMA & INDOBUS’ continuous support in assisting Pekanbaru in developing its public transport system and hopes for further cooperation, especially in terms of financing schemes.

On October 18, 2023, over 25 government officials representing various member cities of the Association of the Indonesia Municipalities (Asosiasi Pemerintah Kota Seluruh Indonesia/APEKSI) convened for a study trip aimed at examining the intricacies of Jakarta’s public transport system. The study trip aims to facilitate with the Director Operational of PT. TransJakarta, Mr. Daud Joseph. It is hoped that the study trip will inspire the exchange of the lessons learned garnered from Jakarta’s efficient integrated public transport system, encompassing diverse modes such as city-owned Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system TransJakarta, Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Jakarta, and Mikrotrans, an integral TransJakarta feeder bus service.

The event commenced with a visit to Bendungan Hilir MRT Station, followed by a journey to the Lebak Bulus MRT Station via the MRT. To showcase the integration of public transport in Jakarta, the participants then explored the Blok M area using Mikrotrans, followed by taking the TransJakarta bus from Blok M Station to CSW Station for a sharing session regional government officials to develop integrated urban transport systems in their respective regions throughout Indonesia.

With the overarching theme of “Strengthening Aspects of Governance to Support Sustainable Financing towards Low-carbon and Resilient Cities”, the Knowledge Management Forum 2023 has concluded on 17-18 October 2023 in Jakarta, Indonesia. The forum was organized by the Indonesian Municipalities Association (APEKSI) in collaboration with four GIZ implemented projects, namely ERiC DKTI, SUTRI NAMA, Urban-Act, and 3RproMar. This year’s forum aimed to share lessons learned, strengthen city networks, discuss integrated solutions on challenges and formulate proposed recommendations for improvement.

Attended by APEKSI’ city members and GIZ’s pilot cities, all participants contributed to a constructive discussion on four thematic areas: (i) Low carbon and climate resilient cities; (ii) sustainable solid waste management; (iii) integrated urban transportation system; and (iv) circular economy and city’s financial sustainability.  Furthermore, learning from practitioners on the ground by visiting Temporary Collection Point of 3R (TPS-3R) Ketapang and PT. TransJakartaalong with the reflection session wrapped up this forum.

On 17 October 2023, SUTRI NAMA & INDOBUS along with partners from the Association of the Indonesia Municipalities (Asosiasi Pemerintah Kota Seluruh Indonesia/APEKSI) and other projects from GIZ Indonesia, organised a Knowledge Management Forum (KMF) as a platform to discuss and share best practices regarding low carbon development attended by city government officials from all over Indonesia. The forum was divided into groups, including integrated urban transport as one of the themes. The transport group participants consist of municipal government officials from Banjarmasin, Balikpapan, Blitar, Bogor, Cimahi, Jambi, Medan, Palembang, Sukabumi, Salatiga, and Tarakan.

The discussion highlighted the importance of a multi-stakeholder roadmap on public transport management while synergising a mutually agreed distribution of roles and responsibilities between national and regional governments. The transport group recommended promoting public transport programmes as a national and regional priority with the Regional Medium Term Development Plan or Strategic Plan as the legal foundation. Along with establishing a cross-regional communication forum, it is hoped that the public transport sector in Indonesia will improve.

Reduce, Reuse and Recycle to Protect the Marine Environment and Coral Reefs Project (3RproMar) continues its engagement with ASEAN on the Zero Draft of the International Legally Binding Instrument (ILBI) on Plastic Pollution, including in the Marine Environment in two significant occasions.

On October 16th, 3RproMar delivered a briefing on the Zero Draft during the ASEAN coordinating meeting, to provide ASEAN Senior Officials on Environment (ASOEN) delegates with the necessary insights and information for internal discussions regarding their involvement in this context. Following this on October 17th, 3RproMar co-hosted a breakout session themed “Understanding the Zero Draft of the International Legally Binding Instrument (ILBI) on Plastic Pollution, including in the Marine Environment” in the ASEAN Conference on Combating Plastic Pollution (ACCP) held in Jakarta.

The breakout session set to enhance comprehension of the Zero Draft leading up to the 3rd Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) in Kenya this November. GIZ expresses gratitude to NPAP and the Center for Southeast Asia Studies (CSEAS) for the collaboration that made this session a success.