Measuring Urban and Regional Sustainability Performance in Java: A Comparison Study Between 6 Metropolitan Areas

Abstract

Java is widely known as the economic center of as well as the most populous (main) island in Indonesia. Rapid urbanization process and economic development in Java are mostly concentrated in six major metropolitan areas (MA): “Jabodetabek” (Jakarta MA), “Bandung Raya” (Bandung MA), “Kedungsempur” (Semarang MA), “Kartamantul” (Jogjakarta MA), “Gerbangkertosusila” (Surabaya MA), and “Solo Raya” (Surakarta MA). Due to its extensive development progress over the past decades, Java is now facing environmental crisis and declining carrying capacity. This paper aims to measure urban and regional sustainability in these metropolitan areas in particular and in all regencies/municipalities in Java more generally by drawing on the so-called Regional Sustainability Index (RSI). The results show that every regency/municipality in Java has diverse regional development condition and sustainability performance. In addition to this, most of the localities (regencies/municipalities) being part of the metropolitan areas have a relatively better economic, social, and environmental condition than that of other localities.