Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW), 13 Januari 2020, di Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), Abu Dhabi, Persatuan Emirat Arab (PEA)

Your Highness Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Honorable Leaders, Ministers, Ambassadors, and Senior Officials, Honorable CEOs and Executives, Distinguished Guests, Ladies, and Gentlemen.

I would like to start by sharing with you the following prediction. In about 10 years’ time, many of you will be carrying a little piece of Indonesia in your pocket, or in your bag every single day.

Think for a moment, about your smartphone. Now imagine the lithium-ion battery inside your smartphone, around 50 percent of that lithium ion battery is made of nickel.

Since Indonesia is the world largest producer of nickel, the lithium-ion battery in your smartphone might contain nickel from Indonesia. So, in 10 years’ time, every time you see your smartphone, it might remind you of a little share of Indonesian mineral.

Indonesia’s role in supplying the world with nickel is part of our contribution to the future of energy, in this case the future of energy storage. The electrification of our transport system such as the transition to electric vehicle will increase the need for lithium-ion batteries and for nickel. Utility scale lithium-ion battery facilities, such as Tesla facility in South Australia is crucial in the global transition towards a renewable energy.

As the world number one producer of nickel, Indonesia stands ready to supply the world rapidly growing and increasingly important lithium-ion battery industry. We invite you to partner with us as we build our domestic industries to manufacture the components and eventually the battery cell as the natural downstream extension of our nickel production.

Ladies and gentlemen,
Another sector where Indonesia is playing a major role in the future of energy is in the world transition to renewable biofuel. Indonesia is the world number one producer of palm oil with only 10 percent of world land use for vegetable oil production; palm oil produces 40 percent of the world vegetable oil. Planting other vegetable oil such as soybean, sunflower, or rapeseed requires up to 9 times as much land as planting palm oil.

It is there for clear that palm oil is far the most land efficient and sustainable way to meet the world rapidly growing need for vegetable oil and biofuel. Last year, Indonesia implemented mandatory biodiesel requirement called B20. All of our diesel fuel must contain a minimum of 20 percent palm oil biodiesel. We have calculated that this policy not only save us USD3,4 billion in fuel imports, but also save 8,9 million ton of CO₂ emissions.  We will raise the biodiesel requirement to B30 this year which will further save fuel import and further reduce the greenhouse gas emissions.

Ladies and gentlemen,
The world is facing many challenges, such as soft economic growth and high debt. The global policy debate is dominated by monetary and fiscal policy, less attention on structural reform, the most powerful and healthiest policy instrument to improve economic growth.

I stand here to reassure you that structural reform will continue to be my government policy focus. Indonesia stands out among emerging market for maintaining conventional monetary and fiscal policy and focusing almost entirely on structural reform to improve economic growth. There are only a few more important reforms then to restructure our energy system to meet the challenge of environmental sustainability and macroeconomic stability. However, in addressing climate change, our to-do and our time is short. Climate change and environmental challenges will divine this century. But these very great challenges also represent very great opportunities, to clean the air, to reduce the noise, and to build new cities for a new generation. Therefore, I believe what is now required are truly bold initiatives on a grand scale.

Ladies and gentlemen,
The Jakarta capital city represents a vibrant and historic city symbolizing Indonesia’s economic and infrastructure growth. Jakarta has become one of the cities that has a significant contribution to the Indonesian economy, but in developing Indonesia, a country which consists of more than 17.000 islands, the concept of equitable development is needed so that development can be fair for all of the people of Indonesia.

This concept of development is what we call Indonesia-centric. That is why we are undertaking one of the boldest initiatives in our country’s history, building a new capital city from the ground up.

This new capital city will be the showcase of the most advanced technologies and way of living. It will be the showcase of the best in energy efficiency, in environmentally friendly, in innovation and creativity, and in happiness of its inhabitants.

We don’t want to build a small administrative capital but a smart metropolis. Please note that we have 1,4 million central government employees in Jakarta. With their families, the total population is around 6 to 7 million people. With 6 to 7 million people moving to the new capital city, the population will be 3 times the population of Paris, 10 time the population of Washington DC, it would begin to approach the 8 to 9 million population like New York and London.

We must make assure that 21st century urban lifestyle is low carbon and environmentally responsible. Our new capital city will address the social causes of pollution namely the culture of wasteful lifestyle, by creating a new city where it is attractive, easy, and expected for both rich and poor. To adopt an efficient low carbon lifestyle, oriented around public transport and pedestrian friendly urban life, and close to nature.

In developing our new capital city, we intend to learn from urban planning pioneers, including our host this week, Masdar City in Abu Dhabi and others. In our new capital city, we invite the world to bring the best technology and the best innovation and the greatest wisdom.

Ladies and gentlemen,
I looked forward to welcome you to Indonesia, to invest in the future where renewable energy and clean technology create a sustainable living for economic and social development.

Thank you very much.