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“Did you know that organic composting plays a crucial role in reducing waste sent to landfills and curbing methane emissions? That’s why the GIZ-ISD programme in Cambodia together with GRET supports the Soutr Nikom District establishing a vermi-composting facility to manage organic waste from a local market. By harnessing the power of worms, this process transforms organic waste into valuable organic fertilizer or “soil conditioner”.

The resulting nutrient-rich soil enhances crop growth sustainably. A local farmer association is therefore an integral part of this initiative. In a recent development, the vermi-composting facility has begun operating, testing the quality of soil moisture derived from vegetable waste. Not only does this initiative reduce landfill waste, but it also provides employment opportunities for local housewives who participate in the operation.”

Link to Further Materials
Learn more about Improved Service Delivery for Citizens in Cambodia (ISD): https://www.giz.de/en/worldwide/114244.html

Contact Person
​Georg Jahnsen

Key Buzzwords
#GIZInclusiveSocieties #Keepourcommmunityclean #ImprovedServiceDelivery #Organiccomposting #fertilizer #SiemReap

Indonesia’s battle against waste has a powerful and potential warriors: its women. Beyond the endeavor of fighting against waste lies a growing movement, where female hands are weaving a cleaner future. Their involvement in waste management is not just a statistic; it’s a force potentially transforming performance and paving the way for a more sustainable tomorrow. Traditional gender roles often limit women’s access to resources and decision-making in formal waste management. Yet, their potential remains untapped – a reservoir of innovation and community engagement waiting to be harnessed.

The shadow of confined access within the sector

ERiC- DKTI, which works in 6 municipalities, finds the issue of women’s involvement as an important aspect that needs to be addressed. Baselines conducted in each region say it all that women are still the parties that are less considered. In this case, women’s access to resources and decision-making in formal waste management is still very limited across all target locations. Women twirl with both grace and grit. On the one hand, it necessitates grappling with deeply entrenched societal norms and gender biases that relegate women to specific roles. The relegation effectively excludes them from training, resources, and leadership opportunities within formal waste management structures.

Another shadow whispers in the informal sector, where women, often like invisible threads, bend their backs to collect waste. They face hazards that impact on their health, exploitation that mute their voice, and a lack of recognition that overshadows their contribution. Additionally, the shadow of power looms large, where unequal access to resources and decision-making leave women’s voices muted. Like trying to speak through a thick curtain, their ideas struggle to be heard and their policies are difficult to take root. The weight of this inequality can stifle even the mightiest changemaker.

Started in 2021, ERiC-DKTI projects initiated the intervention across 6 locations with one of the aims to increase public awareness & participation to manage waste through community-based waste treatment facilities (waste bank and temporary waste storage facilities/TPS3R)      and improve its management system. The program embarked on various activities ranging from awareness raising of waste sorting at the source, waste source management, piloting, SOP (standard operating system) and management improvement for the community-based waste treatment facilities, and waste value chain creation.

The women influence as a catalyst for change

The pilot results indicate that the implemented intervention has yielded positive impacts on pivotal facets associated with community waste management and, more specifically, the management of waste storage facilities. Notably, following the execution of pilot activities, favorable conditions witnessed a discernible enhancement. Stakeholders engaged in the initiative demonstrated an effective expansion of the coverage of community-based waste treatment facilities services, increased institutional activity, heightened community willingness, and augmented awareness regarding waste segregation at the source. Additionally, the integration of community-based waste treatment facilitiesschemes and the implementation of region-specific incentive schemes were observed, indicating a contextually relevant approach to waste management practices within each region.

Within Jambi City, for instance, advancements were observed in the better operations of TPS3R. The improvements include a 46% expansion in customer service coverage, the establishment of a regular composting regimen, successful integration of informal waste pickers into the TPS3R institution, and enhanced functionality of community-based waste treatment operations. Furthermore, TPS3R exhibited a substantial increase in compost production, escalating from 0.08 tons to 0.45 tons. Waste segregation endeavors also realized success, with the volume rising from 0.8 tons to 1.9 tons. Improvements were additionally recorded in the management and efficacy of the novel incentive scheme tailored for TPS3R customers, reflecting an encouraging evolution in operational strategies.

The notable aspect discerned from the success lies in the extensive participation and substantial contribution of women across nearly all facets of the pilot activities. From awareness campaigns and community education to waste segregation implementation and the fortification of TPS3R/Waste bank institutions, women emerge prominently as determinants. Specifically, 70% of the 254 individuals engaged in TPS3R/Waste Bank activities are women, a demographic reflection of their predominant role in domestic responsibilities, positioning them as primary actors in waste management compared to their male counterparts. Women’s significant contributions are further evident in the success of waste awareness campaigns and education, with 60% of advocates/cadres being women. Additionally, in composting initiatives, the Women Farmers Association utilized women- produced compost, amounting to 40 kg per month. This inevitably underscores the noteworthy contribution of women in sustainable waste management practices.

In the case above, community-based waste management initiatives, guided by the resilience and dedication of women’s groups, have become the driving force behind increased waste collection rates. Reports across 6 regions reveal that these grassroots efforts, led by women, outshine formal waste management services, showcasing higher rates of waste collection and a community united in their commitment to a cleaner environment. In certain instances, within these pilot initiatives, women assumed leadership roles—an uncommon occurrence, given the prevailing male dominance in leadership positions. The communities, influenced by the leadership exhibited by women, wholeheartedly adopted the approach, resulting in elevated rates of waste collection.

Unveiling women potential in the future

These narratives coalesce to delineate a narrative of positive correlation, wherein the engagement of women in waste management initiatives extends beyond mere statistical representation. It unfolds as a narrative of empowered communities, sustainable practices, and the unwavering commitment of women steering the course of waste management in Indonesia.

The results of pilot measures by the project have informed the extent to which women assume a transformative role by leveraging their social networks for community engagement. Their leadership serves as a catalyst in cases across 6 regions of the pilot measures, mobilizing communities and engendering heightened levels of participation and compliance.

Meanwhile, the story of Jambi city illuminates the power of women in confronting with resource constraints. In such cases, women in Jambi city (and in the other pilot regions) demonstrate resourcefulness, steering great initiatives of waste collection, upcycling projects, and composting practices. Transitioning towards sustainability, the advocacy of women for responsible waste disposal presents a value that merits broader policy consideration. Their commitment to championing composting and resource recovery represents a commendable endeavor. Unfortunately, the contributions of women remain confined to a limited scope, hindered by the absence of encouragement from authorities or women supported public policy. The potential impact of women’s contributions could be significantly amplified if avenues for involvement were expanded to higher levels, such as regional planning and decision-making processes. This aspect is a factor worth considering in the coming stage if the potential of women in waste management in the region becomes real potential to materialize.

Link to Further Materials
Emission reductions through improved waste management infrastructures – giz.de

Contact Person
Makhdonal Anwar

Key Buzzwords
Women empowerment, waste management, sustainable practices, grassroot, community-based solutions, Indonesia.

Severely, the regional fiscal artery suffers from chronic anemia. A mere 0.7% of local government budgets trickles towards waste management, only such a whisper compared to the proportion of other sectors.  Meanwhile, studies have revealed a starkness: larger budgets breed cleaner cities (Kompas 2020, Fitra 2020, Kemendagri 2020).

But money alone, like a weapon without a warrior, is only half the equation. The other half? The capacity to handle waste itself not to hinder social well being.  Here lies the second hurdle, local authorities, accustomed to the predictable drip of meagre budgets, lack the breakthrough to pluck the economic potential of the waste. This is a kind of economic and fiscal illiteracy that cripples the efforts, leaving apart even the best potentials.

Financial Anemia Crippling Waste Management

That was a context where in 2021 ERiC DKTI kicked off the intervention in six target regions (Jambi, Bukittinggi, Bogor, Cirebon, Denpasar, and Malang). ERiC DKTI teamed up with local stakeholders dreaming of conquering the foe: poor financing on waste.  Challenges are well-entrenched where across the six regions, waste financing is a mire. Budgets, meager as a beggar’s bowl, trickled to a waste system gasping for breath. The necessary costs for waste management are significantly higher than the available funds and some of the existing funds are also difficult to access. This leads to a lack of both the capital expenditure (CAPEX) for waste infrastructure, and the operational expenditure (OPEX) for keeping waste systems running sustainably.

Initial assessment conducted by the project illuminates clearly on the weaknesses across all regions. In the first place, as the assessment elaborates, within the veins of the district and municipality, a fragility in fiscal ability emerges, rendering it insufficient for good waste financing. This fiscal inadequacy impedes the pathway towards the efficiency and effectiveness, and that an ideal condition is still far to reach.  Secondly, it is improper policies that decision makers doled out funds piecemeal, like throwing peanuts to a starving elephant. Communities in urban neighbourhoods, the vital first actor in the waste management odyssey, received a small piece of fund, while final  treatment in waste dump, starved for ideal resources. This eventually rendered the regional targets hard to reach. And thirdly, the missing spine in a sense that both the “polluter pay principle”, a potent weapon against waste generators, and “full cost recovery,” the shield against financial anemia, are unhoned and neglected. “The toughest challenge is when unravelling problems of waste levies, because residents are used to cheap and even free fees for their waste,” said one of the field implementation team.

In addition, a prevailing lack of public awareness casts another shadow, from the fundamental act of waste sorting to the crucial participation in paying waste management levies. The community’s contribution to financing remains minuscule. As such, the consequences are profound. On the one hand, the minimal awareness of proper waste disposal not only jeopardizes public health and the environment but also spawns a surge in diseases stemming from inadequate sanitation. On the other hand, the low consciousness of waste sorting squanders the opportunity cost for nurturing waste recycling enterprises. In addition, the low awareness in the waste reduction practices amplify the operational burdens of waste management.

Trash Talk to Cash Walk: How regional waste financing is improved

Severely, the regional fiscal artery suffers from chronic anemia. A mere 0.7% of local government budgets trickles towards waste management, only such a whisper compared to the proportion of other sectors.  Meanwhile, studies have revealed a starkness: larger budgets breed cleaner cities (Kompas 2020, Fitra 2020, Kemendagri 2020).

But money alone, like a weapon without a warrior, is only half the equation. The other half? The capacity to handle waste itself not to hinder social well being.  Here lies the second hurdle, local authorities, accustomed to the predictable drip of meagre budgets, lack the breakthrough to pluck the economic potential of the waste. This is a kind of economic and fiscal illiteracy that cripples the efforts, leaving apart even the best potentials.

Financial Anemia Crippling Waste Management

That was a context where in 2021 ERiC DKTI kicked off the intervention in six target regions (Jambi, Bukittinggi, Bogor, Cirebon, Denpasar, and Malang). ERiC DKTI teamed up with local stakeholders dreaming of conquering the foe: poor financing on waste.  Challenges are well-entrenched where across the six regions, waste financing is a mire. Budgets, meager as a beggar’s bowl, trickled to a waste system gasping for breath. The necessary costs for waste management are significantly higher than the available funds and some of the existing funds are also difficult to access. This leads to a lack of both the capital expenditure (CAPEX) for waste infrastructure, and the operational expenditure (OPEX) for keeping waste systems running sustainably.

Initial assessment conducted by the project illuminates clearly on the weaknesses across all regions. In the first place, as the assessment elaborates, within the veins of the district and municipality, a fragility in fiscal ability emerges, rendering it insufficient for good waste financing. This fiscal inadequacy impedes the pathway towards the efficiency and effectiveness, and that an ideal condition is still far to reach.  Secondly, it is improper policies that decision makers doled out funds piecemeal, like throwing peanuts to a starving elephant. Communities in urban neighbourhoods, the vital first actor in the waste management odyssey, received a small piece of fund, while final  treatment in waste dump, starved for ideal resources. This eventually rendered the regional targets hard to reach. And thirdly, the missing spine in a sense that both the “polluter pay principle”, a potent weapon against waste generators, and “full cost recovery,” the shield against financial anemia, are unhoned and neglected. “The toughest challenge is when unravelling problems of waste levies, because residents are used to cheap and even free fees for their waste,” said one of the field implementation team.

In addition, a prevailing lack of public awareness casts another shadow, from the fundamental act of waste sorting to the crucial participation in paying waste management levies. The community’s contribution to financing remains minuscule. As such, the consequences are profound. On the one hand, the minimal awareness of proper waste disposal not only jeopardizes public health and the environment but also spawns a surge in diseases stemming from inadequate sanitation. On the other hand, the low consciousness of waste sorting squanders the opportunity cost for nurturing waste recycling enterprises. In addition, the low awareness in the waste reduction practices amplify the operational burdens of waste management.

Building scenario model for financing

The project invited relevant parties of the regional government to onboard on the above problems. Some agendas were implemented in each region including, first, more precise calculation of operational, maintenance, and investment costs associated with waste management over a 20-year span, utilizing the Waste Management Retribution Calculator as stipulated in Permendagri No. 7/2021. This calculation yields a waste management retribution rate harmonized with or surpassing the cost recovery principle while adhering to the polluter pay principle.

In the beginning many members thought that calculations based on Permendagri 7/2021 are difficult to digest as the budget requirements are unaccounted for and cannot be adjusted to regional needs. The calculator is a new but important tool for local governments. “It is a layman for us to understand Permendagri and to use the calculator. But we thank, after the assistance process, we were able to understand it and transform it to district levy regulation,” said Ismambar Fadli, Environment Unit Head of Bogor Government.

Secondly, harnessing the results derived from Permendagri No. 7/2021 calculations as foundational data, the project team collaborates with the local actors to further refine using supplementary tools provided by the experts provided by the project. This process enabled stakeholders to distill the data and subsequently produce robust recommendations for a tailored financing model for each region.

The project intervention continued with establishing a cross sectoral unit team in each region, comprising personnel across agencies relevant to waste management issues such as the Department of Environment (DLH), Regional Development Planning Agency (Bappeda), Finance Agency, and Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR). Concurrently, the team undertook a thorough collection of secondary data essential for the calculation of the actual cost incurred in the current fiscal year. “The methods used by the team during the process are really good and provide two-way discussions of opinions from diverse stakeholders,” said Tri Iwansutanto, Unit head of Infrastructure and Natural Resources Jambi.

In collaboration with the experts provided by the project, the team was on board to on-the-job training activities. The process resulted in the more robust calculated waste handling costs and retribution rates for the ongoing fiscal year. To ensure methodological rigor, consultation and revision sessions were held with the across agency heads of the government. Eventually, procedure/guideline and report delineating the calculation of optimal waste handling costs and retribution rates customized to existing contextual conditions were produced.

Polluter pays, full cost recovered: securing the key wins

The achievement thus far included an agreed waste retribution tariff designed to align with the fundamental principle of Full Cost Recovery (FCR). Equally noteworthy is the commitment demonstrated by city and regency governments to uphold the Polluter Pay Principle, reflecting a conscientious effort to enforce fairness and accountability in environmental responsibility. The translation of these changes and results into regional regulations across all six regions transpired through extensive deliberations and consultations involving various agencies, including the Regional People’s Representative Council (DPRD). Four (4) regions, BUkittinggi, Bogor Regency, Cirebon and Malang already issued the regulation for the waster retribution tariff. This regulatory framework serves to institutionalize changes and outcomes, strategically mitigating potential political risks associated with the prospect of leadership transitions in the future.

“With this assistance, financing concepts can be explained in detail and on a basis so that the quality is much better than conventional methods usually used by regional governments,” said Tri Iwansutanto, the Economy and Infrastructure Unit head of Bappeda Jambi.

Link to Further Materials
Emission reductions through improved waste management infrastructures – giz.de

Contact Person
Makhdonal Anwar

Key Buzzwords
Waste Financing, Waste Retribution Tarriff, Waste Management Cost, Polluter Pay Principle

Are you a Woman Leader Working on Sustainability in Asia?

The TUEWAS Women Expert database is a crowd-sourced database of women experts working in transport, energy, water, environment/climate, and urbanism.

As women are notoriously underrepresented in Asian scientific conferences and policy events, as well as consultancy work, especially those not organised by international organisations; their voices are not being heard sufficiently. Therefore, the objective of the initiative is to have a platform for women working on Transport, Energy, Environment, Urbanism and Water as well as Gender in the region. This is intended to increase women participation in the discourse on sustainable development in the TUEWAS sectors and to serve as a platform for women experts from additional sectors, such as biodiversity and ecosystems management.

Asia is filled with outstanding women professionals, and our database aims to showcase women’s talent, connects experts and decision makers, and offers event organisers a valuable tool to find speakers and disrupt the cycle of men-dominated events.

The goal of the TUEWAS Women Experts Database is:

• Creating an open database accessible to all women experts and event organiser
• Amplifying the voices of women experts in Asia in sustainable development discussions
• Promoting equality and diversity in conferences, panels, expert talks, media appearances, advisory committees, and management boards

How to submit your profile?

Explore our website and follow these simple steps to join the network:

1. Go to this link: https://women-experts.tuewas-asia.org/
2. Fill in your username/email and password.
3. Confirm your account.
4. Fill in your profile, paying attention to the mandatory fields to ensure your profile is saved.
5. Save your profile!
6. Welcome to the TUEWAS Women Experts Database!

By joining, you become part of a movement that actively contributes to reshaping the landscape of sustainable development discussions.

Register now!

Link to Further Materials
Expert Database – TUEWAS Women Expert Database (tuewas-asia.org)

Contact Person
Anneli Stutz

Key Buzzwords
–

In 2021 The ERIC DKTI project started the collaboration with six regional stakeholders: Bukit Tinggi, Bogor, Jambi, Cirebon, Malang, and Denpasar governments to embark on this issue. Engaging in this issue required careful consideration, more specifically considering that the waste sector was not a priority sector for most local governments. Recognizing this, the project commenced with an assessment of all six designated regions. The findings revealed that the basic problem concerning waste in the region was the absence of robust planning and the imprecise strategies in handling waste issues.

Critical Domains of Vulnerability

In accordance with the assessment findings, vulnerabilities were identified across all six regions, encompassing deficiencies in critical domains such as weak local waste planning, landfill overcapacity, technical shortcomings, regulatory gaps, institutional inadequacies, financial constraints, the imperative for heightened public awareness and participation, deficient facilities and infrastructure, and the absence of solid waste data for more effective policy making. Given the multifaceted nature of these domains, an approach to address the entirety of the issues can be sought with the formulation of a comprehensive waste management master plan. Unfortunately, the current waste master plan of all target regions did not reflect the needs and context changes of the city development.

Undeterred, the project kicked off its intervention by engaging in collaborative consultations with various stakeholders within the local governments. However, the process proved anything but straightforward. From the outset, the project grappled with a significant challenge—namely, the institutional structure and coordination among government agencies. Effectively addressing the waste issue demanded the active involvement of multiple agencies, underscoring the need for cross-agency. While the ideal solution would be to encapsulate such collaboration within a regional waste master plan, the substantive content of the current waste plans fell short of addressing this need.

Buy-in and governance challenges: unravelling the foundation for change

In the face of persistent challenges amidst the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, the team displayed unshakable commitment and a laser-focused approach to key issues. The ERIC DKTI project progressed through a series of activities, transitioning from one stage to another to gain momentum. Continuous consultations drove the team to set essential targets in three crucial areas: 1) strengthening waste management planning through solid tools and pilot measures escalated to city-level policy, 2) reforming financing with a retribution calculator and adherence to the cost recovery and polluter pay principle, and 3) enhancing data quality in each city with advanced tools and systematic analysis.

Between 2021 to mid 2022, a pivotal milestone was reached with the establishment of cross-agency working teams in all regions. All target regions issued Mayor Decrees establishing this collaborative task force for handling waste issues that provided  a foundation for the team to proceed the agenda. The team comprised personnel from various government units. Discussion, consultation, mentoring, and preparation for further agenda were subsequently implemented by the working team from that point in time. “Activities are hampered by schedule conflicts and activity loads that are the responsibility of each team member. Apart from that, another challenge is the changing of personnel to the assignment,” said one working team member from Bogor City. In this case, the decree provided stronger position with which the member can get more bargaining values from their agency.

As the collaborative efforts across units showed promise, the team embraced the next challenge: the enhancement of regional waste data quality. Recognizing that a robust waste management master plan hinges on a solid foundation of data quality, the team set out to rectify the shortcomings observed in old practices. It became evident that the utilization of basic data, encompassing crucial elements like waste generation and composition, waste transportation logistics, infrastructure facility, landfill capacity, employee statistics (both office and field-based), fuel consumption, and more, had been consistently overlooked by all regions. Despite a couple of regional governments possessing relevant data, the widespread neglect stemmed from its fragmented distribution across various units, hindering effective capture and management.

As 2022 arrived and the grip of COVID-19 lessened, the project capitalized on the improved conditions. Throughout the year, stakeholders were pushed to be more actively engaged to enhance their technical knowledge in areas such as waste data, greenhouse gas calculations, and waste balances and flows. Additionally, training of retribution calculators and income financing were provided alongside the implementation of pilot measures in diverse regions. The mentorship provided aimed not just as action but at purposefully enhancing the capabilities of local staff in evidence-based waste planning and policy skills. In 2023, mentoring activities experienced a surge, incorporating on-the-job training for working teams focused on waste management levy calculations. Concurrently, the collaborative team has made strides in advancing the preparation of new waste master plans of each region.

Coordination efforts were extended to involve the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas), which played a consultative and monitoring role in overseeing the progress. The logical framework for Waste Management Master Plan has been developed to serves as a navigational tool, providing clear direction to the team. Subsequently, the working teams in all cities conducted data collection to serve as the foundational basis for the new master plan. In addition to this data collection, a visionary 20-year waste management policy concept was drafted. This, coupled with the results of the Pilot Measurements that provided additional information and lesson learned on TPS3R management capacity, community awareness strategy recommendation, and the way to introduce solid waste business chains, served as compelling evidence and added a clearer blueprint for how the new waste master plan will be crafted.

A triumph: new era for Waste Management Master Plan 

The drafting of the new master plan continued since then. The process went through a participatory process that involved multi agencies. In the end, it resulted in the increased ownership of waste as a cross-cutting issue that will be outlined in the new regional master plan. “A significant difference used during the mentoring process is the frequent brainstorming, not only with the government environment unit but also involving cross agencies. For the waste problem, we must also consider suggestions and input from all relevant agencies,” as Merry Yelza, a member team and the functional environment officer of Bukit Tinggi said.

All six regional governments triumphed in crafting the Waste Management Master Plan by end of 2023, set to be enshrined in the regulations of regents or mayors. What sets this new master plan distinct are its transformative elements. First, it embraces evidence-based policy document process, a departure from the previous business as usual and the copy-paste approach over years. Secondly, the essence of collaboration and ownership across agencies permeates this revised master plan. By fostering a cross-unit team collaboration, the waste issue transcended individual silos and ascended to the meso level, transforming into a collective cross-unit concern. Thirdly, it stands as a good testament. RIPS embarks on its journey with a foundation in knowledge, conducting assessments that pinpoint areas of weakness. Consequently, the produced master plan encapsulates the core facets of the identified barriers or critical domains across regions. This marks not just a document, but a breathing roadmap for sustainable waste management.

“The concept used in the new RIPS provides detailed alternative locations and even alternatives for revitalizing existing landfills, and that is something that was not found in the old RIPS. Likewise, the concept of waste processing (methods and technology) has been presented clearly in the new RIPS. This is true as it begins with calculating valid waste composition data and even calculating more proportional levies,” said Tika M. Effendi, the Unit Head of Governance and Human Development Bogor District.

Link to Further Materials
Emission reductions through improved waste management infrastructures – giz.de

Contact Person
Makhdonal Anwar

Key Buzzwords
Waste Management Master Plan, waste management planning, integrated waste management

Charting the Chaos

The Indonesian national government has been struggling to tackle the waste problem across the provinces and districts. The challenges are pertinent, from overflowing landfills to plastic-clogged rivers, the sheer volume and complexity of the waste crisis demand a sophisticated response. Yet, a critical roadblock stands in the way – a fragmented authorities and inadequate national data management system.

The situation of this complexity can be equalised with a child’s puzzle with pieces scattered across different rooms, each held by a different family member. While each piece holds a fragment of the picture, there’s no central organizer, no shared vision of the whole. This is just a simple way of understanding Indonesia’s waste data. Responsibility for information is fractured across ministries and agencies, each with their own siloed systems, definitions, and priorities.

Ministry of Environment and Forestry (MoEF) on the one hand, for instance, might have detail data on waste generation and composition, but also have data on waste infrastructures held by the Ministry of Public Work and Housing (PUPR) on the other hand. Another example, The Ministry of Public Work and Housing (PUPR) responsible for the infrastructure development, manages the data on infrastructure but also having data on waste facilities such as waste banks currently owned by MOEF.

“Information systems are available containing intersecting waste data. The weakness is that the data is not reliable and there are often differences in the data being reported,” said Ir. Medrilzam. M.Prof. Econ. Ph.D, Director Environmental Affairs, BAPPENAS Period 2016 -2024 in one coordination meeting in 2023. The fragmentation creates a maze of mismatched pieces, hindering collaboration, effective decision making, resource allocation, and ultimately, effective waste management.  This complexity can generate inconsistency and frustration for policymakers and communities when trying to understand and address Indonesia’s complex waste landscape.

Undeterred by this fragmentation landscape, ERiC – DKTI embarked on a quest – to map the uncharted national waste information systems. It was not until end of 2021, when endeavor was undertaken to unveil the underpinning complexities. It began with a thorough mapping of existing waste-related information systems that dissected the intricate governance structures underpinning each system. Areas of overlap and redundancy that have brought gaps and inconsistencies were carefully identified.

Connecting the scattered dots: laying the ground for change

The endeavor bore a good fruit, paving the way for the next crucial step – forging a stronger linkage among the waste sector actors. Among the results was the information that 5 ministries used 5 different systems constituting a great obstacle for effective national waste policy. The five systems are AKSARA (BAPPENAS), NAWASIS (BAPPENAS), SIPSN (MoEF), SIINSAN (MoEF), and SIPD (Ministry of Home Affairs). The condition drives an ineffective and inefficient reporting mechanism which also causes confusion for the local governments for waste reporting.

As the follow up, validation on the findings was done to relevant parties where the project delved into intensive communication with each agency, orchestrating discussions to gauge interest and foster a sense of ownership over the issue. The result of this orchestration underscored an urgent need for a unified waste data and a common agreement among the ministries on a standardized waste data format for national-level collection to enable data interoperability.

The synergy: a change that came

The orchestration continued, weaving together pivotal players from diverse agencies to confront the challenges at hand. Yet, the path to the dream was anything but smooth. The political and economic dimensions of each system casted a shadow over the authority vested in individual agencies. The resistance was evident against dismantling certain platforms. Undeterred, it was like a diplomatic dance of negotiation and persuasion in which the team convinced stakeholders that the goal was not dissolution of a particular system but rather tackling overlaps and inconsistencies to enable data interoperability.

The consensus was eventually reached. The parties agreed on the crucial need for data interoperability to ensure consistency and to foster unified data utilization for better policy making. In the agreement, SIINSAN and SIPSN took center stage as providers of the interoperability services, while NAWASIS, AKSARA, and SIPD assumed the role of users. This strategic alignment adhered to the guidelines set forth in the Minister of Communication and Information Technology Regulation No. 1/2023, governing electronic-based government systems and a unified data landscape and Presidential Regulation No. 39/2019 on One Data.

SIINSAN and SIPSN’s inherent capacity to furnish fundamental waste data, from waste bank statistics to infrastructure details, streamlined and harmonized the waste data format and criteria across all five systems.  Yet, another problem was realised as the data codes from SIPSN and SIINSAN did not have the same code format to be shared, so interoperability could not run. Hence, another effort was needed first to streamline this waste data format and codes.

The project subsequently accelerated all stakeholders to coalesce around the vision of an interconnected framework to overcome this problem. This has later gave birth to the Waste Code Catalogue. This catalogue, poised to be a national reference for standardized data formats, incorporated a regional reference code, guided by relevant regulations.  “Enhancing the interoperability of waste and management data not only streamlines the tasks for SIPSN managers but also facilitates seamless information exchange for other ministries and agencies,” said Adi Fajar Ramly, Functional Environmental Officer and the Head of Working Group SISPN highlighting interoperability benefit for various government agencies.

The endeavours paid off. In the mid 2023, data Interoperability Technical Guideline including the waste code catalogue was agreed upon by cross ministries/agencies. This catalogue, having undergone the abstraction test by the Geospatial Information Agency (BIG), is positioned to become an integral component of the Indonesian Geospatial Element Code that covered waste thematic data and was published by BIG. The project nears completion, but another task remained for the adjustment of data structures within the information systems of pertinent ministries. Concerning this, the government’s unwavering commitment is evident with the initiation of another project collaboration to address this issue. With this in hand, it is expected that future waste management decisions in Indonesian development were not made in the dark, but guided by the clear light of reliable data and information.

“SIPSN and Aksara play crucial roles in aiding Regional Governments with waste data reporting system. Nevertheless, the multitude of applications and diverse data requests pose challenges for local governments in data retrieval and processing. The integration of waste information systems marks an advancement from the Central Government, consolidating data into a unified source for reporting, mitigating the risk of data dualism. It is expected that this data integration will soon apply to other applications in the future, including Sign Smart, SIMBA, and SIINSAN,” —-Wahyu Cahyadi, Penyuluh Lingkungan Hidup, DLH Kota Cirebon.

Link to Further Materials
Emission reductions through improved waste management infrastructures – giz.de

Contact Person
Makhdonal Anwar

Key Buzzwords
Waste Data, Data Interoperability, Data Management, One Data Principle

In Cambodia the local Districts and Municipalities (DMs) are challenged to offer a proper waste management to its citizens. The local authorities need to have knowledge and expertise in waste management to meet those challenges. In many cases the responsible official persons are alone and overwhelmed by this task. The GIZ supported ISD Programme helped to establish sub-committees for the topic of local waste management to work on local Waste Management Plans as a local framework.

Additionally, the ISD programme supported the building of capacities on proper waste management. Recently there was a workshop to coach sub-committee members to brainstorm about their mission, vision, priority activities, how to allocate budget for waste management and draft waste management plans based on their DMs situation.

Link to Further Materials
Learn more about Improved Service Delivery for Citizens in Cambodia (ISD): https://www.giz.de/en/worldwide/114244.html

Contact Person
​Georg Jahnsen

Key Buzzwords
#GIZInclusiveSocieties #Keepourcommmunityclean #ImprovedServiceDelivery #WasteManagementPlan #SiemReap #Battambang #BanteayMeanchey

The study on “Co-benefits of energy transition in Viet Nam’s industrial development” aims to provide an overview of the localisation of the industrial sector amid the energy transition. It examines various aspects, including policy framework, international experience, current status and the localisation potential of two key technologies: wind and solar power in the period 2025- 2050. On the other hand, this study also serves as a foundation for GIZ to conduct more detailed and in-depth policy framework research for localisation in the next stages.

Research results show that in general, the total market potential of wind and solar power technologies across the three stages of project development, manufacturing, installation/ construction in the period 2025-2050 is estimated at nearly USD 160 billion (at 2023 curent prices), accounting for 1.02% of Viet Nam’s Gross Domestic Product
(GDP) of the entire period. This figure is roughly equal to the 2022 GDP contribution at current prices of the Industry and Construction sector, with a value of USD 155 billion. Of which, the market potential of offshore wind accounts for the largest proportion of 51.8% (USD 82.5 billion), followed by onshore wind (24.3%) and solar (24%).

The average local content for solar power is approximately 45% at present and is projected to increase to nearly 78% by 2050. For wind power, the localisation rate is 37% at the current time and is anticipated to reach 54% by 2050. During the entire 2025-2050 period, the localised value of wind and solar power technologies in the three aforementioned project stages is projected to reach nearly USD 80 billion, accounting for 50% of the total market potential for these two technologies. Although the current average local content of solar power is higher than that of wind power, the localisation of solar power mainly focuses on stages with low cost share in the investment unit cost, whereas the production stage for solar panel, which on average takes up a relatively high percentage of costs at about 55%, has a low local content level due to competition with imported products from China.

​Promoting localisation will bring certain benefits, however, localisation policy also faces challenges such as (1) Clearly defining how much localisation is reasonable and designing a roadmap to achieve that goal, (2) Insufficient investment and low technological capability have become significant challenges for Vietnamese enterprises engaging in supporting industries, (3) The localisation targets has not been integrated into FDI attraction policies.

​In addition, there are challenges in transitioning jobs from the current labour market to a highskilled labour market, especially in the context where multinational corporations implement supply chain strategies that involve multiple support suppliers, as seen with companies like Samsung, Toyota, Intel, etc.

​To maximise the benefits and minimise the challenges of localisation, a number of policy proposals should be considered:

• ​Integrating co-benefits of energy transition into legal system and policy impact assessment processes. Early co-benefit assessment should be conducted as soon as possible to provide inputs from the policy formulation stage to ensure comprehensiveness and optimal policy decisions.
• ​Determining the socio-economic development targets of the energy transition trend through local content targets: One of the potential benefits of local content requirements is the opportunities it provides for domestic enterprises to learn by doing and to promote innovation. Prioritising the localisation of the stages of project development, installation/ construction, and manufacturing of equipment that Viet Nam currently has strengths in, such as substations, cables, towers, mounting structures, etc. This is especially instrumental in the context of integrating international RE supply chains with high entry barriers. In this context, Viet Nam will need to thoroughly break down current market conditions and existing value chains in order to develop appropriate local content targets for different periods.
• ​Increasing local value through human resource development: Viet Nam has established effective “demand pull” policies, including FIT, rooftop solar power development supporting policies, etc. However, the “supply push” measures have not yet been implemented strategically due to the conditions available at the time. Viet Nam’s value creation can be promoted by combining product R&D with human resource training and development of domestic service providers. This will also help reduce the dependence on foreign experts. Furthermore, Viet Nam can provide skilled engineers to other countries in the region.

​​Limitations of the study: Due to time and resource constraints, the study has certain limitations. For example, the quantity and volume of survey samples are still modest, at the same time, the project development, equipment manufacturing, and construction stages in the value chain have not yet been dissected at deeper levels. Further in-depth research on the localisation of the wind and solar power industry in the next period is required to inform a policy framework and detailed roadmap that will maximise the benefits and mitigate the risks of localisation, and carefully consider these limitations when applying the results to the real contexts.

Link to Further Materials

• Co-benefits of energy transition in Viet Nam’s industrial development – CASE for Southeast Asia (caseforsea.org)
• Co-benefits of energy transition in Viet Nam’s industrial development – ESP (gizenergy.org.vn)
• https://gizenergy.org.vn/vi/item-detail/dong-loi-ich-cua-chuyen-dich-nang-luong-trong-phat-trien-cong-nghiep-viet-nam/

Contact Person
​Vu Chi Mai​ 

Key Buzzwords
Co-benefits, localisation, project development, manufacturing, installation, construction, Viet Nam