Climate Change Communication on Mitigation Policy and Its Challenges Towards Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Abstract

As the world’s largest archipelago and straddles the equator, and as one of the largest
Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emitters in the world, Indonesia is very vulnerable to climate
change. This fourth most populous country has experienced extreme climate events such
as floods and droughts, as well as long-term impacts from rising sea levels. Seven, out of
ten disasters in Indonesia are hydrometeorological disasters or climate change-related.
In line with the increase in population, natural disasters affected by climate change have
a wider impact on people and their assets, making it difficult for them to get out of
poverty. This is a challenge for SDGs implementation in Indonesia. Government has thus
been making efforts to reconcile sustainable development and mitigation policy to reduce
Green House Gas Emission (GHG) in various sectors. However, there is no evidence for
strategic government communications in delivering its policy due to lack coordination
and integration among institutions and their understanding of the value of messaging
development in disseminating its policy to increase public awareness. Additionally, the
research on climate change communication of mitigation policy is limited. This study
attempts to explore the flow of communication actions on the said climate its
communication barriers. From interviews with government officials, this research shows
that strategic management function must be provided government communication is to
strengthen the climate change national policy to SDGs implementation.