Asia Pulp & Paper Group (APP) is reinforcing its commitment towards achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through participation in “The Pari Island Project,” a new multiparty collaboration aimed at improving the availability and sustainability of clean water in Indonesia.
The program, which will raise awareness about proper waste management and provide education on water sanitation practices, is the joint initiative involving five organizations: Implementation will be led by the Indonesia Water Mandate Working Group − which is chaired by APP − in coordination with the Indonesia Global Compact Network, Habitat for Humanity Indonesia, UNESCO and the Indonesian Institute for Sciences. The launch and signing of this multi-stakeholder initiative took place during the Indonesia Philanthropy Festival (IPFest) in Jakarta on October 8, in a session titled “Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships for the Achievement of SDGs.”
The project will be piloted on Pari Island, a tourist destination in the Thousand Island district. The pilot project will include training on water management, waste management and sanitation, with waste management and water sanitation programs designed to alleviate Pari Island’s struggles with water shortages. As part of the project, the Indonesian Institute for Sciences will introduce new technology to reduce the high saline content of Pari Island’s water. The program will also implement the use of biopore holes to strengthen the island’s water conservation efforts.
“In the Asia Pacific region, socio-economic and environmental issues are interlinked and creating unprecedented sustainability challenges. This condition is further complicated by changes in the hydrological cycle due to climate change and land use. The Pari Island Project gives us a great opportunity to show how public-private partnerships can help make water resources more sustainable in Indonesia, and its surrounding regions,” says Professor Shahbaz Khan, director of the UNESCO Regional Science Bureau for Asia and the Pacific and the UNESCO representative for Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and East Timor.
“APP chose to spearhead the initiative due to its importance for the local Indonesian community and its innovative approach to sustainability,” says Librian Angraeni, APP’s Sustainability Manager and a Chair of IWMWG. “Access to clean water is a human right – a right we hope to improve for Pari Island’s residents. This groundbreaking initiative supports the implementation of both SDG 6 – ‘Clean Water and Sanitation,’ and SDG 17 – ‘Partnership for the Goals,’ in order to address Pari Island’s water shortage in a holistic and sustainable manner.
This initiative adds to the work APP is already doing to support with the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. In September, APP was one of 17 global businesses named in the UN-backed DNV-GL report, Spaceship Earth, as helping to drive private sector action to achieve SDG 15 - ‘Life on Land.’
Get the latest insights, trends, and innovations to help position yourself at the forefront of sustainable business leadership—delivered straight to your inbox.
Published Oct 21, 2016 3pm EDT / 12pm PDT / 8pm BST / 9pm CEST