"It is necessary to take appropriate mitigation and preventive measures to prevent extreme heat, land fires, difficulty accessing clean water, and also crop failures in Indonesia," Soesatyo said in an official statement issued on Monday.
He made the statement in response to rising global temperatures, which were the highest on record in July 2023.
The highest global temperature ever recorded was reported this week, according to data provided by the United States National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP).
According to NCEP data, July 4, 2023, was recorded as the hottest day on Earth since 1979, with the average global temperature reaching 62.92 degrees Fahrenheit.
Therefore, Soesatyo urged the government to increase its awareness about the issue, since such a phenomenon could potentially spread to other parts of the world, including Indonesia.
In addition, he said, an increase in global temperature also has the potential to cause great damage to the environment and have a serious impact on human health.
He advised the government to prepare a strategy to deal with the effects of rising global temperatures. The strategy would need to aim toward minimizing the negative impact of such a phenomenon.
He also asked the government to pay attention to droughts caused by climate change and El Nino. He emphasized on maintaining the level of productivity of food crops, which has been disrupted due to prevailing conditions.
"The productivity of food crops in the country must continue to be maximized and various strategies must be implemented so that there is no decrease in the quantity and quality of food, considering that food is one of the basic or primary needs of society," he added.
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Translator: Fath Putra Mulya/Yashinta Difa
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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