Challenge Of Environmental Mgmt

A Challenge of Environmental Management By Anton Sri Probiyantono

Based on its causes, the problem of environment is classified into two main groups, i.e. problems caused by resource exploitation beyond the capacity of the nature to recover and problems caused by urbanization, heavy concentration of human settlements and activities that make the environment under serious pressure. A case of Indonesia: Due to decentralization, all at once, local governments and local constituents have been forced to take the responsibility to manage local environmental issues using available resources. The capacity of local governments and local constituents can be considered as critical issues that need serious attention. These influence the relationship quality of “demand-supply” between the Local Authorities and Local Constituents in each related region. Limited capacity contrasted against high level of stress occurred by the process of urbanization and natural resource exploitation may be considered as the main constraints to interfere the process of decentralization and global initiative transfer to local actions. To consider the problems of local environmental management, it is necessary to classify the region based on the degree of local governments’ capacity, local constituents’ capacity, natural resource stresses, and urbanization stresses. To cover hundreds of regency and city, the study is to pay attention to the capacity degree of governments in the provision of services per capita, capacity degree of constituents in the involvement of participatory process, threats caused by natural resource exploitation (forest and mining), and urbanization (population, population growth, industry and transportation). To simplify the process, the study uses weighted value from 0 (zero) for the lowest and 10 (ten) for the highest. Each score shows the value presented in concerned data through this following formula:

Vx =

(x – xmin) (xmax – xmin)

Vx = X= xmin = Xmax =

* 10

The value of x Absolute variable Minimum variable of data Maximum variable of data)

n

Σ i=1

Vxc =

Vx = xc = Vxc =

Σ= n=

Vxi

OR

(xc – xmin) (xmax – xmin)

* 10

n Variable of score Mean of variable Mean of scores Total calculation of all scores Total number of regions that have related data (excl. regions that have no data)

+/- factor =

+/- factor = Vxc = 1/3 =

Vxc =

Vxc * (1/3)

Factor for justifying the range of Middle Value Mean of scores Variable of three “assumed” divisions (High, Medium, and Low)

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Upper level of Medium: UM = Vxc + factor

and

Lower Level of Medium: LM = Vxc – factor

The capacity of the regional governments is identified through the financial distribution for each person in related region. It is to follow the expenditure or the income stated in annual budget divided by the number of population. It presents the strength of the governments to access financial resources (tax/PAD, central allocation (DAU and DAK), grant, loan, etc.) and provide services demanded by local communities. While the capacity of local constituents (communities and private sectors) is analyzed through HDI (Human Development Index). It is assumed that the statistical HDI has provided all related indicators on how the strength of the local communities. Threats of natural resources exploitation are interpreted from local economy activities mentioned in PDRB (gross regional domestic product) focusing on mining and forestry sectors. Although the figures may not show the level of pollution, they show the threats through different angle. The higher the income, the higher is the threat. The higher the threat, the higher the capacity of the government and the constituents is in need. In the meantime, threats of urbanization are clearly presented through the number of population, the growth of the population in the last 10 years, growth of industrial sector, and growth of transportation. High growth of population has chained impacts towards environment, health degree, food supply availability, and other aspects within. It is quite unique to understand a fact that a flow of urbanization is to follow the activities of industry, administration and natural resources exploitation. Some regions may have high stress of natural resource exploitation, and/ or urbanization but they are not fortunate to have high capacity to manage the problems. On the contrary, other regions may have high capacity to provide services demanded by the constituents but people are not interested in working in the area due to static condition that may occur. Industrial activities, however, persuade more people to migrate and stay.

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