Month: May 2026

On 25 May 2026, I had the opportunity to participate in a mangrove planting program organized by the Postgraduate Students Association of Universitas Gadjah Mada. The event carried a simple but powerful message: Plant Today, Protect Tomorrow.

On a Saturday morning in Jangkaran, Kulon Progo, around 250 participants gathered to plant 1,000 mangrove seedlings along the coast. Students, schoolchildren, environmental communities, government representatives, and local residents worked side by side. At first glance, planting a thousand trees may seem like a small contribution compared to the scale of global environmental challenges. Yet standing on the muddy shoreline that day, I was reminded that meaningful change often begins with actions that appear modest.

As someone who works in geospatial science, I often encounter environmental issues through maps, satellite imagery, and datasets. We can visualize coastal erosion, monitor land-use change, and quantify the impacts of climate change with remarkable precision. However, environmental stewardship cannot rely solely on technology. Data may help us understand a problem, but collective action is what ultimately addresses it.

Continue reading “Plant Today, Protect Tomorrow”

A few weeks ago, many Indonesians suddenly became interested in the law of the sea and related matters. The trigger was not a new regulation, nor a maritime incident in Indonesian waters. It was the tension surrounding the Strait of Hormuz. As discussions emerged about the possibility of Iran disrupting maritime traffic, a familiar question resurfaced: if Iran can threaten to close Hormuz, why can’t Indonesia do the same with the Strait of Malacca or the Indonesian Archipelagic Sea Lanes (ALKI)?

The question is understandable. Yet it also reveals how easily we are tempted by simple comparisons in a world that is far more complex. I was invited to talk at an event organised by IPB University in Bogor on 13 May 2026. It was on “Managing and Utilizing the Strait of Malacca and ALKI”.

At first glance, Hormuz and Malacca appear similar. Both are strategic straits. Both carry enormous volumes of global trade. Both attract the attention of major powers. However, geography, law, and history tell very different stories.

Continue reading “What Are the Benefits of Sharing Our Ocean to the World?”

I have been doing this for more than a decade. It was 2015 for the first time. I was asked to talk to young Indonesians who were preparing their journey to study master and PhD degree with LPDP scholarship. Talking to bright young Indonesia has always been encouraging. Since the first event, I have been doing it for more than twenty times, now.

The last one was on 5 May 2026. I, once again, spoke to hundreds of optimistic young Indonesians who are paving their way to the future. The future of Indonesia. I could feel if from the way they responded to my speech. I could see it from the way they stared at my presentation. I felt the energy.

Continue reading “Talking to Our Future Change Makers”