IPB University Professor Examines Indonesia’s Way Out of Iatrogenic Natural Resources Governance
Professor of the Faculty of Economics and Management (FEM) IPB University, Prof Ahmad Fauzi, highlighted the “iatrogenic” phenomenon in natural resource governance and regional development. He conveyed this in a scientific forum organized by the Postgraduate Study Program of Regional and Rural Development Planning Science at IPB University.
In his presentation, Prof Fauzi explained that iatrogenic refers to policy interventions that actually cause new damage due to an incomplete understanding of ecosystem interactions.
“Many policies are not mature and do not take into account long-term impacts, so they lead to environmental damage such as deforestation, coastal ecosystem degradation, and social conflicts,” he said in the Iatrogenic National Seminar on Natural Resources Governance and Regional Development at Andi Hakim Nasution Auditorium, IPB Dramaga Campus (8/26).
He explained, “This phenomenon arises because policies are unintended, insensitive to conflict, and ignore local knowledge.” He also criticized the fragmentation of natural resource policies that led to overlapping management between the central and local governments.
One of the solutions offered by Prof Fauzi is the application of the Factor Four concept. This concept was developed by Ernst von Weizsäcker in 1998, who proposed a fourfold increase in resource productivity, by reducing natural resource consumption by half while still doubling welfare.
In addition, he also mentioned the improvement of governance with the implementation of regional resource accounting, as well as the increase in sustainable economic complexity. “The balance sheet of natural resources does not only function to increase state revenue, but also as an instrument of sustainable environmental control and management,” he said.
In addition, he also introduced exaptation and hysteresis strategies as solution approaches. The exaptation strategy utilizes old potentials such as ex-mine land for new purposes such as ecotourism. Meanwhile, hysteresis is needed to illustrate the impact of environmental damage that continues across generations even though the main cause has been addressed.
“SDA prices in the market do not reflect actual conditions. It often causes undervaluation because it is not half exogenous and not fully transacted in the market,” he said. Therefore, he continued, it is important to understand the costs that must be paid by future generations due to damage to natural resources and the environment (transitional gain trap).
Dean of FEM IPB University, Prof Irfan Syauqi Beik, when opening the event said that the problem of natural resource governance in Indonesia is very complex. He highlighted the many extractive business licenses that are not well regulated, leading to environmental damage and conflict.
“Development programs often ignore local wisdom and lead to repeated mistakes,” he told the hundreds of participants.
The government, he said, is expected to strengthen policy integration, pay attention to the principles of sustainable development, and raise awareness of the importance of natural resource conservation in order to achieve prosperity for all Indonesian people.
In this Iatrogenic National Seminar on Natural Resources Governance and Regional Development, other speakers such as Dr Haris Retno Susmiyati, an academic from Mulawarman University, Egi Primayogha, Chief of the Advocacy Division of Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW), and Viky Arthianda, SHum, a researcher from the Center of Economic and Law Studies (Celios) were present. (dh) (IAAS/STD)
