Building a Restorative Economy in Villages: A Solution to Combat the Illusion of Self-Sufficiency
The Center of Economic and Law Studies (CELIOS) has recently released a study on strengthening the restorative economy.
The CELIOS study reveals that 23,472 villages in Indonesia possess high restorative potential, indicating a robust ecosystem that requires prudent management for long-term sustainability. Unfortunately, 95.40% of these villages still show low initiative in supporting restorative economic agendas, reflecting a lack of awareness and proactive action from both the government and local communities. Moreover, more than half of Indonesia’s provinces face serious environmental and economic issues due to uncontrolled natural resource exploitation.
This research identifies 14 provinces with the potential to become pioneers in restorative economics by balancing economic growth and ecological preservation. Key commodities that could be developed include rubber, secondary crops, and capture fisheries, which, if managed sustainably, could become pillars of an environmentally restorative economy.
As many as 56.65% of villages lack access to natural springs, indicating that irresponsible resource exploitation may exacerbate the clean water crisis. Additionally, over 14% of villages are directly adjacent to the sea, while 24.11% are located within or near forest areas. Without concrete action, ecosystem degradation could have far-reaching impacts on the millions of people who depend on these natural resources for their livelihoods.
