Heaptalk, Jakarta — The Ministry of National Development Planning/National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) together with Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH organized the Digital Grounds: Towards A Green Digital Economy event in Jakarta. The two-day forum aims to support the acceleration of digital transformation for MSMEs and startups in Indonesia, particularly the development and adoption of technological innovations for the green economy.
According to the Green Economy Index (GEI) launched in August 2022, the green economy can improve the Indonesian economy with gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 6.1–6.5% per year until 2050 and gross national income (GNP) higher by 25–34% in 2045. The green economy will also generate an additional 1.8 million workers in the green sector by 2030, spread across the energy, electronic vehicles, land restoration, and waste management sectors.
According to the Director of Electricity, Telecommunication, and Informatics Bappenas Rachmat Mardiana, digital transformation and the green economy are two of the six primary strategies developed by Bappenas in the middle of 2022 to achieve the vision of Indonesia 2045 to become a sovereign, advanced, fair, and prosperous nation.
The collaboration of Bappenas and GIZ is carried out through the grant activity of the Digital Transformation Center (DTC) and Make-IT Indonesia. This activity aims to support digital transformation in Indonesia through strengthening activities, including the use of digital technology and digital enablers. Digital transformation is also included in the priority program in the 2020–2024 National Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMN), especially national priority number five namely infrastructure to support the economy and basic services.
Rachmat said, “Germany as a friendly country and a bilateral development partner, has established cooperation in multiple fields including elaborating on global and strategic issues. Through multi-stakeholder collaborations, including the bilateral partnership between Indonesia and Germany, we can implement the Sustainable and low-carbon Development Goals to achieve the net-zero emissions target by 2060.”
Mapping greentech startups and MSMEs
Project Manager at Make-IT Indonesia Atiek Fadhilah said, “As global partners, Indonesia and Germany are determined to work together in a mutually beneficial partnership to build strategic initiatives in accelerating sustainable digital transformation, environmentally friendly, and resilient economic development.” Focusing on the green economy, Make-IT aims to provide strategic support for technology startups with a socially oriented and sustainable agenda, especially in addressing development challenges in the clean energy, environmental protection, natural resource management, and circular economy sectors.
Further, Atiek delivered that Make-IT reaches a wider audience and targets green start-ups at the local level and beyond the metropolis. Digital transformation brings new possibilities in developing, promoting, and adopting green technology innovations. Smart use of clean digital technology can serve as a key driver for climate protection action, environmental sustainability, and achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs)
Regarding the form of initiatives, at the press conference at The Westin Jakarta (10/20), Atiek mentioned three activities that will be carried out by Make-IT and DTC, spanning mapping of green technology startups and MSMEs as well as their supporting ecosystem, green technology safari to several cities outside the metropolis, and developing e-learning for photovoltaics—the conversion of light into electricity using semiconducting materials.
Supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the forum facilitates the exchange and transfer of technical skills, strategic planning, and trend insights in digital transformation and green technology development among MSMEs, green technology startups, academia, and civil society organizations.
Lead Advisor at Digital Transformation Center Indonesia Daniel Schroeder conveyed, “MSMEs dominate Indonesia’s economic structure, and digital transformation will empower MSMEs to develop their businesses and increase their competitiveness, which in turn, contributes to driving the growth of the digital economy.” DTC is a global technology hub initiative that supports the development of digital ecosystems in partner countries, one of which is Indonesia. These activities aim to narrow the digital divide, reduce disparities, and provide equal opportunities for all community groups to benefit from the prospect of digitalization.
