"Rising seas and melting glaciers have far-reaching consequences for island states, including Indonesia," Marsudi remarked during the High-Level Meeting "United by Water" held on the sidelines of the 79th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York on Wednesday (Sept 25) local time.
In addition to having an impact on rising sea levels, Marsudi pointed out that climate change also caused disruptions to freshwater sources and weather patterns that significantly affect ecosystems, food security, and health worldwide.
To that end, the minister called on the international community to immediately take urgent, concrete action to counteract the impacts of climate change. Efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change must be carried out simultaneously.
There must be political will to guide innovation and concrete actions to address the impacts of climate change, such as by expanding innovative financing for water and climate action and increasing climate finance, according to Marsudi.
She further urged the international community to encourage an innovative water management agenda, including by implementing the outcomes of the 10th World Water Forum (WWF) agreement in Bali last May.
Furthermore, Marsudi accentuated Indonesia's commitment to implementing integrated water resources management to optimize water resources in various sectors.
"Indonesia has also established community-based programs aimed at developing drinking water and sanitation infrastructure as well as wastewater management," she highlighted.
These programs align with Goal 6 of Sustainable Development (SDG 6) related to the issue of clean water and sustainable sanitation.
In addition, Marsudi sought the international community's support in carrying out her upcoming duties as the UN Special Envoy on Water starting November 1, 2024, after fulfilling her responsibilities as Indonesian Foreign Minister.
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Translator: Nabil Ihsan, Yashinta Difa
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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