Youth's Strategic Role in Achieving Zero Waste Goals
Jakarta - The Director General of Hazardous Waste and Toxic Material Management (PSLB3), Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK), Rosa Vivien Ratnawati stated, young people have a strategic role in achieving the Zero Waste, Zero Emission target.
Director General Rosa Vivien emphasized this when giving a speech at the 2023 National Waste Care Day (HPSN) Dialogue with the theme "The Role of Young People in Building Socioentrepreneurship in Waste Management" at the Manggala Wanabakti Building, Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Tuesday (21/2/2023).
Rosa Vivien further explained, Indonesia currently has 70.72 percent of the productive age population, namely those aged 15-64 years. Thus, it can be said that currently Indonesia is enjoying a demographic bonus, which is expected to help Indonesia reach its golden age in 2045.
Of the total productive age, 27.94 percent or 74.93 million people are Generation Z (Gen Z), namely those born between 1997 and 2012. Meanwhile, 25.87 percent or 69.38 million people are millennials. ie those aged 24-39 years.
"Millennials and Gen-Z are two different generations, but have the same role from an economic perspective to make Indonesia a developed country in 2045," said Rosa Vivien.
Director General of PSLB3 Rosa Vivien revealed, based on survey results summarized in the Indonesia Gen Z Report 2022, as many as 79 percent said climate change was a serious issue. Furthermore, 70 percent feel they are climate responsible, and 66 percent are willing to pay more for environmentally friendly products. Almost similar results were obtained in the Indonesia Millennials Report 2022. "This shows that young people have a strategic role in achieving the Zero Waste, Zero Emission target," he emphasized.
He stated that in the last few years, there have been many business actors who are "concerned" about the issue of waste, wherein their business is not only profit-oriented, but also emphasizes environmental and community factors or better known as "Social Entrepreneurship".
Rosa Vivien said, the dynamics of social entrepreneurship development is carried out through various innovations that prioritize the existence of a digital system or what is known as a start-up, namely a startup that applies technological innovation to run a core business by providing solutions to various problems in society quickly. , precise, and easy.
As of January 2023, 209 socio-entrepreneurship businesses have been identified engaged in waste reduction and handling in Indonesia, including bulk stores, refill businesses, reuse businesses, waste collection and recycle, and upcycle businesses. In addition, a growing business focused on innovating alternative products to replace plastic. This further confirms that efforts to reduce waste not only have an impact on the environment but also create business or business opportunities, employment opportunities and also changes in behavior in society.
Another thing added by Rosa Vivien, based on the data collected, currently more and more international and national investors are starting to look to provide funding for pioneering businesses in the field of environmental management, one of which is in the field of waste management. Angel Investor Network Indonesia (ANGIN) data shows that there have been 120 funding for social businesses since 2013 while Dealroom data shows that globally, social impact startups that are most targeted by investors are related to climate change and clean energy. Its investments have contributed more than 50 billion euros since 2015 .
The latest news, he continued, is that a Waste4Change waste management startup won series A funding worth US$5 million or IDR76 billion, led by AC Ventures and PT. Barito Investment Partners . This further confirms that investors are starting to look at business models that prioritize innovation in providing solutions to environmental problems, one of which is the waste problem.
Then speaking of innovation, with the issuance of PermenLHK P.75 of 2019 concerning the Roadmap for Reducing Waste, it has indirectly encouraged various innovations in sales models without packaging and refills. The good news is that this opportunity has been captured directly by the Cosmetic Industry and supported by BPOM. Supporting efforts to sell cosmetics without packaging by refilling, currently BPOM is revising the provisions contained in BPOM Regulation Number 2 of 2020 concerning Supervision of Production and Distribution of Cosmetics, where one of these revisions includes regulations on Cosmetics in Cosmetics refill facilities .
This is certainly a breath of fresh air for all of us. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation evaluates that the reuse business innovation has a value of more than 1
Writer:Mohar Syarif