IPB University Academics: Is the Raja Ampat Case a Reflection of a Failure to Understand the Essence of Sustainability?

Raja Ampat, long known as a symbol of global marine megabiodiversity with over 500 coral species and thousands of fish species, now faces a bitter irony. This area, which should be protected, has instead become a target for nickel mining exploitation, sparking serious unrest and a crisis of confidence in the direction of national development.

Dr Nimmi Zulbainarni, an academic from IPB University’s School of Business, stated that in recent months, reports of land use changes on Gag Island, Kawe, Manuran, and several other areas in Raja Ampat have caused ecological conflicts, unrest among indigenous communities, and raised questions about the meaning of development.

“If development is merely interpreted as the accumulation of capital and short-term economic growth, then the Raja Ampat case reflects a failure to understand the essence of sustainability,” said Dr Nimmi.

According to her, the core issue is not the presence or absence of mining permits, but the lack of a comprehensive policy approach based on economic valuation. She emphasized that economic valuation is not just about maximizing profits but also about preserving natural resources.

“More than just converting environmental value into rupiah figures, economic valuation is a scientific and normative effort to place the environment at the center of policy considerations,” she said.

Additionally, a comprehensive valuation approach, encompassing direct use values (fishing, tourism), indirect values (coastal protection, carbon sequestration), and existence values, would demonstrate that the Raja Ampat ecosystem possesses long-term economic value far exceeding the temporary royalties from nickel extraction.

“The conversion of ecosystems in the coastal areas of Raja Ampat highlights a striking policy contradiction,” she explained.

On one hand, the government promotes a blue economy and sustainable tourism. On the other hand, it permits extractive activities in the same area. Empirical studies show that each hectare of coral reef in Raja Ampat can generate billions of rupiah per year through marine tourism, fisheries catches, and other ecosystem services.

“The loss of these values due to sedimentation, coral damage, and water pollution from mining activities not only erodes the local economic base but also damages the ecological integrity that forms the foundation for the sustainability of future generations,” she said.

She highlighted mining practices that do not consider environmental carrying capacity. For her, such practices also reveal the weakness of governance instruments and the enforcement of the precautionary principle.

“Many mining permits in the past were issued without participatory and scientific Environmental Impact Assessments (Amdal), even before credible economic valuation studies were conducted,” she emphasized.

In the context of public policy, Dr Nimmi emphasized that economic valuation should serve as a tool for decision-makers to internalize the negative externalities of every policy.

If environmental damage caused by mining can be calculated as tangible costs, such as losses in fishermen’s production, coral reef restoration costs, or declines in the quality of life for coastal communities, then decisions to preserve environmental sustainability would become far more economically rational.

“Without economic valuation, the environment will continue to be seen as a disposable variable that can be sacrificed for short-term investments,” she said.

Furthermore, she believes that Raja Ampat should not be viewed merely as a group of small islands with mining potential, but as a living ecosystem with intrinsic value, social value, and regenerative economic value.

“Its existence is not only important for indigenous communities and tourism stakeholders but also for Indonesia globally as it builds a narrative of leadership in the transition toward green development,” she added.

She reiterated that true national development must balance economic and ecological interests, between utilization and conservation, between the present and the future.

“By making the conservation of natural resources the center of policy, Indonesia is not only protecting nature but also strengthening the economic, social, and cultural resilience of the nation. Raja Ampat is speaking out, calling for wise and civilized development,” she concluded. (AS) (IAAS/PRO)