Jakarta. Hundreds of protesters, students, and environmental activists, who were members of environment advocacy group Kolektif Bumi Butuh Aksi, staged a climate strike in Central Jakarta last Friday.  

Carrying placards and chanting protests on top of their lungs, the protestors marched from the IRTI Monas to the Coordinating Ministry for Maritime and Investment Affairs headquarters. They then walked to the Dukuh Atas area to draw attention to the climate crisis that is staring at us in the face.

The demonstrants criticized the government’s indifference towards the climate crisis. Residents of Roban Timur, Batang, in Central Java were also seen joining the climate strike. The Roban Timur residents were protesting against the steam-powered plant in Batang,  which they believed had polluted the ocean. 

The demonstrants also called for President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to make immediate systemic changes to address the climate crisis.

In 2018, Swedish climate activist Gretha Thunberg, then 15 years old,  staged a climate protest outside of the Swedish parliament. Thunberg’s rally has sparked youth-led climate strikes around the world. 

In Indonesia, activists are also taking their environment advocacy campaign on social media. The Kolektif Bumi Butuh Aksi are also calling for youth to express their concerns over climate change with the hashtag #PukulMundurKrisisIklim (‘Beat Back the Climate Crisis’).