The Department of Geography, Faculty of Mathematics & Natural Sciences (FMIPA) UI supported by the Geospatial Information Agency (BIG) held a national geography seminar on Monday (10/3/2018) at Building B, FMIPA UI Depok.
With the theme“Sustainable Development”, this national seminar invited experts as speakers, namelyProf. Dr. Ir. Hasanuddin Zainal Abidin, M.Sc. Eng. (Head of the Geospatial Information Agency), Dr. Ir. Abdul Kamarzuki, MPM (Director General of Spatial Planning, Ministry of ATR/BPN), Dr. Muhammad Dimyati M.Sc (Director General of Strengthening and Research and Development, Ministry of Research, Technology and Higher Education), Raldi Hendro Koestoer, Drs., M.Sc., Ph.D., APU (Expert Staff of the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs),and Ir. Bernardus Wisnu
Widjaya, M.Sc(Deputy for Preventionand Preparedness, BNPB)
Sustainable development is a long-term development concept. This concept states that development must meet current (short-term) needs without compromising the needs of future generations.
However, this development concept is rarely implemented in Indonesia. Social and environmental aspects are under-emphasized in development concepts in Indonesia, resulting in numerous losses for the country. Lack of clean water for agriculture due to water sources contaminated by industrial waste, and drought and flooding are all consequences of development that does not prioritize sustainability.
Geography, as a science that studies the physical and non-physical aspects of a region, offers a fairly holistic development tool. By utilizing geography, development becomes integrated between physical management and human management.
The results of geographical studies such as rock characteristics, plant characteristics, climate characteristics, and community behavior in a region, using geographical analysis methods, can be used as a reference for making local government regulatory policies.
Dr.rer.nat. Abdul Haris, Dean of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Indonesia, in his remarks stated that Geography plays a role in shaping the concept of holistic development that prioritizes the integration of all aspects, both physical and non-physical. “With increasing awareness of the use of geography in the development process, it is hoped that development in Indonesia will not only focus on the economic side, but also consider the environmental and social impacts of a development process,” he said.
