Amid the escalating environmental crisis in Indonesia’s coastal regions, a group of young people brings new hope. The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Indonesia (FMIPA UI), through the Sustainablue Study Center, Special Work Unit – Applied Science Institute (UKK – LST), in collaboration with The 14th UI Youth Environmental Action (UI YEA), organized a training entitled “Coastal Environmental Crisis: Threats and Hopes” on Monday, July 28, 2025, at the Pusgiwa UI Auditorium, Depok.
This event was attended by 40 young participants from UI YEA, consisting of students from various faculties at Universitas Indonesia, as well as representatives from the Directorate of Community Engagement and Social Innovation UI. They are individuals with strong interest and concern for environmental issues and sustainable development.
The training featured Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Mufti Petala Patria, M.Sc., Professor of Ecology at FMIPA UI and Project Coordinator of Sustainablue UI, as the keynote speaker. In his presentation, Prof. Mufti highlighted the critical condition of Indonesia’s coastal ecosystems, particularly in marginalized areas that are most vulnerable to environmental impacts.
Various key issues were addressed, such as the climate crisis, waste pollution, coastal erosion, and economic pressures on coastal communities. Prof. Mufti emphasized the importance of youth involvement in driving change.
“The coastal crisis is not only an environmental issue, but also a matter of social justice. We must begin to see the sea and the coast as living spaces worthy for all, not merely as resources to be exploited,” said Prof. Mufti in his presentation session.
Furthermore, he introduced the concepts of Environmental Justice and the Blue Economy as strategic solutions for inclusive coastal management. Through a case study of Banyuasih Village in Pandeglang, Banten, Prof. Mufti demonstrated how community-based approaches can strengthen socio-ecological resilience in coastal areas.
This activity not only broadened the participants’ understanding of the challenges facing Indonesia’s coastal areas, but also equipped them with new perspectives to become agents of change in building a more just, resilient, and sustainable future for coastal regions.
SustainaBlue Universitas Indonesia, coordinated by Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Mufti Petala Patria, M.Sc. and Deputy Coordinator Dr. Retno Lestari, M.Si., is an Indonesia–Malaysia collaborative program funded by the European Union, involving various universities in Asia and Europe, including Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Universiti Sains Malaysia, University of the Aegean, and University of Cyprus. Officially launched on June 11, 2024, SustainaBlue aims to accelerate the development of the blue economy and the green transition, as part of the government’s strategic agenda toward sustainable development.
