Ecological repentance: Indonesia’s call to heal nature

Today, however, many view nature merely as a resource to be exploited to its fullest extent..

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Ancestors once believed that disasters were a sign of humanity's failure to live in harmony with nature.

However, over time, humans' relationship with nature has gradually shifted. In the past, forests were treated as sanctuaries of life, and rivers were respected as the source of livelihood.

Mountains were preserved out of a belief that they held the balance of nature, while the oceans were nurtured as the domain where humans pinned their future.

Today, however, many view nature merely as a resource to be exploited to its fullest extent.

Forests became numbers in production reports. Rivers turned into waste disposal channels. Mountains are seen as material reserves, and the oceans are used as a dumping ground for various forms of pollution, with the assumption that they would simply vanish on their own.

When floods strike more frequently, landslides swallow settlements, droughts choke livelihoods, and the air grows too polluted to breathe, humans often label these events as "natural disasters."

Yet behind many of these crises lies a long trail of human decisions that for decades have ignored ecological balance.

Therefore, the call for "taubat ekologis" or "ecological repentance" championed by Environment Minister Jumhur Hidayat must become a collective movement starting now.

Toto Izul Fatah, Executive Director of Citra Komunikasi LSI Denny JA, believes the term is highly appropriate for addressing the environmental challenges Indonesia currently faces.

According to him, ecological repentance—or ecological conversion—carries a profound resonance, embodying morality, awareness, and deep reflection.

In the traditions deeply rooted in Indonesian society, taubat (repentance) is not just about admitting a mistake. It is the courage to reflect—beginning with a willingness to acknowledge wrongdoing, feeling sincere regret, halting the destructive behavior, and promising never to repeat it.

Ecological repentance calls on everyone to acknowledge that humans have, for a very long time, done profound damage to nature.

Nature has far too often been treated merely as an object of exploitation, when it is, in fact, a shared living space that sustains human existence.

Therefore, the concept of ecological repentance serves as a vital reminder: the environmental threats humans face today did not simply appear out of nowhere. Many are the direct consequences of the choices that they made over the past decades.

Behind the flooding, landslides, and water crisis lies a reality of vanishing forest cover, degraded catchment areas, polluted rivers, and development that has, at times, outpaced nature’s capacity to sustain it.

Yet, just as with repentance in a spiritual sense, awareness alone is never enough. Regret without action will result in nothing but empty rhetoric. True ecological repentance demands tangible action.

According to Toto Izul Fatah, this call must be translated into the political will to reform policies and practices that have long driven environmental degradation.

Business licenses that harm the environment must be rigorously reviewed, and enforcement against polluters must be strictly and consistently applied.

Furthermore, efforts to restore degraded areas must be boosted, while future development must be aligned with nature's carrying capacity to prevent new crises in the future.

Most importantly, the responsibility of protecting the environment must not rest solely on the shoulders of communities at the grassroots.

So far, there has been an impression that while citizens are urged to cut back on plastic, plant trees, or conserve water, large-scale industries with far more massive environmental footprints escape adequate oversight.

After all, protecting the planet is a shared responsibility for the government, the business sector, and the public.

Ecological repentance must not become a hollow call aimed only at certain groups; it must foster a shared awareness across every segment of the nation.

Related news: Indonesian minister calls for "ecological conversion" amid crises

Two billion trees

As part of its environmental restoration efforts, the Indonesian government aims to plant two billion trees nationwide.

Indeed, trees help absorb carbon, protect water sources, stabilize soil against landslides, reduce flood risks, improve air quality, and revive degraded ecosystems.

Yet, the success of reforestation is never determined by how many saplings are planted in a single day. The true metric is actually measured by how many of those trees are still standing years down the line.

While planting trees is a good start, it requires far greater patience, commitment, and consistency. It also demands the right soil, sufficient water, protection from damage, and continuous care.

Therefore, the initiative needs meticulous planning. The public has a right to know the types of trees being planted, the planting locations, the total area available, who is responsible for their maintenance, and the funding supporting the program’s long-term sustainability.

The selection of the types of trees must also factor in the specific needs of each region. Watersheds require trees capable of enhancing hydrological functions. Landslide-prone areas need deep-rooted vegetation, while urban areas need shade trees that also function as pollution absorbers.

In villages, productive plants could be considered as they could offer economic benefits for the local communities, beyond their ecological restoration function.

Ecological repentance is an urgent call to mend the frayed relationship between humanity and nature. All this time, it is not just the forests, rivers, oceans, or mountains that have been degraded. What has slowly broken down alongside them is the way humankind views life itself.

When humans learn to respect nature again, they are essentially learning to respect their own future. By planting trees, protecting rivers, safeguarding forests, and using resources wisely, they are not just nurturing the environment but also nurturing hope that the planet remains livable for the next generation.

This is the true essence of ecological repentance—healing not just the earth, but the human conscience, to remember that humanity is a part of nature, not its ruler.

Related news: RI calls for ecological repentance to reduce national waste

Editor: M Razi Rahman

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