IPB University Professor Highlights the Threat of Mining to Coastal Ecosystem Sustainability
Professor Yonvitner, Professor at the Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences (FPIK) at IPB University, warned that mining activities in coastal areas, small islands, and archipelagos have the potential to damage vulnerable ecosystems and disrupt the lives of local communities.
The Chairman of the Center for Coastal and Marine Resources Studies (PKSPL) at IPB University emphasized that natural resource management practices that do not consider environmental and social sustainability must be stopped.
“Mining is indeed economically profitable. However, when opening a mine, we must think about the future, whether the community will live long-term with the mine, or with the resources they currently manage,” he said in an IPB Podcast broadcast on the IPB TV YouTube channel.
Prof Yonvitner emphasized that Law No. 27 of 2007, which was amended by Law No. 1 of 2014, prohibits mining on small islands. These areas may only be used for tourism, research, cultivation, and non-extractive activities.
According to him, coastal ecosystems such as coral reefs, seagrass, and mangroves are sedentary and therefore very vulnerable to disturbance. “These ecosystems cannot move. If there are activities such as mining that clear land, sedimentation and pollution will occur,” he explained.
He cited the long-term impact in Bangka Belitung as an example. There, social problems arose because the community did not benefit from the mine. “In the end, they joined in the mining and destroyed their own area,” he said.
Although reclamation can restore the ecology within 3-5 years, this improvement does not solve the issue of justice for communities who have lost their livelihoods based on renewable resources.
As a solution, he encourages the development of a renewable resource-based economy, such as marine tourism, sport fishing, and the downstreaming of local products, such as coconuts and seaweed. “Downstreaming may not be widely discussed, but if it is done, the economy will be sustainable,” he said.
He also called for improvements to the integrated monitoring system involving the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP), the Indonesian Navy (TNI AL), and related agencies to enforce regulations.
“We must ensure that the economic activities chosen provide long-term benefits. The community can enjoy them, and our children and grandchildren can also enjoy them,” he concluded. (Fj) (IAAS/ASY)
