Disaster-Responsive Cities Become Long-Term Solutions for Urban Development

The increasing intensity of rain in early 2025 is a challenge for cities in Indonesia to be resistant to the threat of urban disasters.

Geographically, Indonesia has an advantage because it is located on the equator. Indonesia has a tropical climate that tends to be stable and temperatures that are not too extreme. This reduces the risk of disasters such as major storms that often hit subtropical regions from affecting Indonesia.

Nevertheless, this does not immediately free Indonesia from the risk of other disasters. According to the monitoring report of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), hydrometeorological disasters are the most frequent disasters affecting the archipelago. Although there was a decrease in the number of disaster events in 2024, the category of hydrometeorological disasters still dominates.

When entering the weak La Nina phase at the end of 2024 until the beginning of 2025, several disaster events have already occurred in several cities in Indonesia. As happened at the end of January 2025, where several areas of Jakarta were flooded. According to BNPB's monitoring, this flood was caused by heavy rains on January 28 - 29, 2025, which inundated around 52 neighborhoods in Jakarta.

Not only that, tidal flooding in the northern coastal areas (pantura) of Java also occurred during January - February 2025. Areas such as PIK in North Jakarta, as well as Semarang and Demak in Central Java, have also become regular areas affected by tidal flooding. Several mitigation solutions have been implemented by BMKG and BNPB in facing disaster risks, ranging from weather modification to the construction of embankments.

The phenomenon of climate change also contributes to the increasing complexity of disaster threats today. All regions are challenged to create safe and comfortable spaces for their residents. Not only are short-term solutions needed to mitigate these disasters, but also long-term solutions to shape urban spaces that are more adaptive and responsive in facing various potential disasters.

The development of cities aimed at creating decent and comfortable living spaces certainly does not overlook attention to several factors that mitigate the risk of disasters. It is not only about paying attention to the physical infrastructure's carrying capacity but also to other broader aspects.

The concept of a disaster-resistant city or resilient city encompasses a variety of interconnected things. Starting from infrastructure, good regional governance, risk-aware city communities, and policies that support sustainability and disaster mitigation.

A Resilient City does not only depend on infrastructure, but a city that is able to form a city ecosystem that supports each other for sustainability and disaster mitigation. A disaster-resistant city can be interpreted as a city that is able to anticipate, adapt, and recover from disasters by minimizing the risk of socio-economic and environmental impacts.

Several international institutions have also taken up this issue and given attention to a number of programs to help cities become resilient to disasters. Resilient city was first introduced by the Rockefeller Foundation (100 Resilient Cities) by providing guidance and networking for world cities in an effort to increase disaster resilience in 2013.

In addition, major global organizations such as the United Nations or Perserikatan Bangsa-bangsa (PBB) have also raised this issue as a separate program. For example, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, which aims to reduce disaster risk through good governance with data-based planning. They also provide a tool that can help cities identify risks and develop data-based strategies.

In Indonesia itself, disaster-resistant city standards have been implemented which refer to SNI ISO 37123:2019. In this standardization, it has regulated the Resilient City Indicator with five main elements in it.

The main elements consist of early warning systems, urban infrastructure, disaster risk management, social and economic resilience, and urban recovery capacity. This standard serves as a guideline in developing urban resilience strategies.

However, the implementation of these elements is still a challenge when integrated with the Regional Spatial Planning Plan (RTRW) at the regional level.

The increasingly dense and difficult to improve urban spatial planning makes the threat of disaster risk increasingly high and complex. The high population growth rate and urbanization flow make urban spatial planning constrained. Local governments are required to prepare practical and easy-to-implement disaster mitigation and handling steps.

For example, like Jakarta, the local government and the community must prepare mitigation measures against the flood disasters that often hit. One of the short-term mitigations that has been carried out by the local government together with BMKG and BNPB is weather engineering to control rainfall.

In addition, until 2023, the Jakarta Provincial Government has provided 549 stationary pump units in 195 locations and 799 water gate units in 547 locations for flood control in several disaster-prone areas. Reported from the official website of the DKI Jakarta DPRD (1/2/2024) in an effort to oversee flood management, the DKI Jakarta government focuses on the construction of reservoirs and the addition of pump houses, especially in areas with low elevations as an effort to increase water storage capacity.

In addition to Jakarta, Semarang is one of the cities that is intensive in flood control mitigation efforts. After the flood at the end of January, Semarang Deputy Mayor Hervearita Gunaryati when reviewing the flood (1/31/2025) said that there was a need to improve drainage in urban areas and implement vertical drainage technology and biopores. She also conveyed the importance of the plan to implement a moratorium on the conversion of infiltration land as an effort to maintain the balance of the urban ecosystem.

In addition to partial mitigation measures in each region, macro-scale flood prevention measures are also needed, the benefits of which can reduce flooding in a wider spatial dimension. The construction of a giant sea wall, which is part of the national strategic project (PSN), is a long-term solution that is predicted to be effective in minimizing tidal flooding along the north coast of Java, at least from the PIK area to Demak.

The giant sea wall (GWS) project was previously part of the National Capital Integrated Coastal Development (NCICD) which was targeted for completion in 2027. However, due to constraints, the project was then taken over by PSN to accelerate its realization. Although it is predicted to be an effective long-term solution, the GSW has drawn many pros and cons, especially from coastal communities and environmental observers.

Regardless of the polemic, disaster risk management solutions must continue to be carried out, both for short-term anticipation and long-term mitigation. With these steps taken simultaneously, it is hoped that an urban ecosystem will be created that is resistant to the threat of disaster.

In addition to preparing supporting physical infrastructure, policy makers must also build a resilient city. This means that local governments are required to have good governance for disaster mitigation and handling; build communication with the community to build awareness of disaster risks; and prepare regulations and policies to support holistic mitigation efforts. (LITBANG KOMPAS)