Environmental Impacts of Planned Capitals and Lessons for Indonesia’s New Capital

Hoong Chen Teo,Saut Sagala,Alex Mark Lechner,Ahimsa Campos-Arceiz

doi:10.3390/land9110438

Abstract

Indonesia’s new planned capital in East Kalimantan is being touted as a “smart, green, beautiful and sustainable city” but has stoked fears of massive environmental damage to the island of Borneo, one of the world’s most important biodiversity hotspots and carbon sinks. Precedents of other planned capitals can contribute to an understanding of the potential long-term impacts of Indonesia’s new capital. We used historical nighttime lights to quantitatively assess the spatial growth footprint of 12 previous planned capitals, and conducted land-use analyses to identify the potential environmental impacts on Borneo’s natural environment. Our assessment suggests that it is likely that the direct footprint of the new capital could grow rapidly, expanding over 10 km from its core in less than two decades and over 30 km before mid-century. We identified sensitive ecosystems which may be affected by the new capital’s direct and indirect footprint, such as forest reserves, mangrove and peat. Deforestation emissions from the new capital’s direct (30 km) and indirect (200 km) footprint could be approximately 50 MtCO2e and 2326 MtCO2e respectively, equivalent to 2.7% and 126% of Indonesia’s 2014 greenhouse gas emissions. We discuss how planned capitals can spatially restructure the socio-political geographies of cities and nation-states by interacting with meanings, symbolisms and power relations, which may aggravate environmental impacts but also be seized upon as a catalyst for improving environmental performance in Borneo and Indonesia. Finally, we recommend the use of best practices in impact assessment and sustainability as a necessary first step towards protecting Borneo.

Highlights

Indonesia’s current capital Jakarta, a burgeoning megacity, is an “urban nightmare” persistently hobbled by traffic congestion, with housing, waste collection, water supply, and drainage and flooding problems [1]
We review the socio-political geographies of planned capitals, especially their role in spatially restructuring cities and nation-states by interacting with meanings, symbolisms and power relations, and how this can determine their environmental impacts
For recently completed capitals (e.g., Naypyidaw and South Korea’s Sejong), our data suggests that initial construction can be completed in five years or so, with the region within 10 km of the core becoming highly urbanised within one to two decades; urban expansion and intensification between 10 and 50 km from the core can continue for several decades more (Figure 3)

Summary

Introduction

Indonesia’s current capital Jakarta, a burgeoning megacity, is an “urban nightmare” persistently hobbled by traffic congestion, with housing, waste collection, water supply, and drainage and flooding problems [1]. Jakarta already lacks the resources and institutional capacity to manage its existing problems, let alone prepare for future climate risks in what is one of the region’s most. Land 2020, 9, x FOR PEER REVIEW climate-vulnerable cities [2,3]. Having been considering a capital move since 2017, Indonesia’s current Joko. Widodo announcedannounced on 26 August a new2019 planned capital located near current Joko (Jokowi). 26 Aug a new planned capital the coastnear between the cities of Balikpapan and Samarindaand in East Kalimantan. On land located located the coast between the cities of Balikpapan

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion