Most of the environment of aquatic ecosystems is water which is the habitat of aquatic creatures and amphibians that live in two realms. These ecosystems consist of living biomes that depend on each other and their environment. Then, the aquatic ecosystem consists of two types, namely marine ecosystems (marine) and freshwater ecosystems (freshwater) and its constituent components consist of biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) factors. Therefore, to maintain aquatic ecosystems, it is necessary to take sustainable actions taken by universities and local communities, such as not overfishing. In addition, universities and the government can also make policies and educational programs to minimize changes in aquatic ecosystems, such as action plans to reduce plastic waste and monitor the health of aquatic ecosystems.
Fresh-water ecosystems (community outreach)
Education programs of freshwater ecosystems are provided by Universitas Indonesia through courses. One of the faculties providing courses on water ecosystems is Faculty of Law (FH), namely law on the management of marine and fishery natural resources (SDA) for undergraduate programs. Briefly, this course examines the potential and problems of marine and fishery natural resources in Indonesia and other countries; the relation between environmentally sustainable development paradigm and the management policies of marine and fishery natural resource; the legal and policy framework providing the legal basis for the management of marine and fishery natural resources in Indonesia; the practice of implementing and enforcing policies on the management of marine and fishery natural resource; as well as the sources/roots of problems related to law enforcement problems in the management of marine and fishery natural resources.
Teaching Plan Book on Law on the Management of Marine and Fishery Natural Resources, FH UI
Sustainable fisheries (community outreach)
Community education programs related to sustainable fisheries are realized through training and socialization on sustainable fishery management, aquaculture, and tourism, given to local and national communities. Since 2012, researchers from the Shipbuilding Engineering Study Program of Universitas Indonesia have been aggressively introducing a flat plate boat to fishermen and training them to build it to increase the potential of fishermen in the fishing industry. It is a form of UI concern for traditional fishermen in Indonesia, namely constructing a flat plate boat that is cheaper, easier, and faster to manufacture. In addition, the boat is also highly suitable for use in Indonesian coastal waters that tend to be shallow and can be a substitute for traditional wooden boats increasingly hard to find by fishermen.
Community Service of Science and Technology Program for the Community
Moreover, the Community Service Team of UI also provides assistance in catfish aquaculture for students at SMPN 290 Jakarta. This school, located on Jalan Rumah Susun Marunda, is chosen since a small number of its students chose to drop out of school or discontinue their education to the secondary level after graduation. The provision of this assistance is expected to generate economically independent students capable of meeting their needs and earning additional income after graduation.
Overfishing (community outreach)
On January 24, 2021, the Maritime Security Agency of the Republic of Indonesia (Bakamla RI) took action against two foreign tankers, namely the Iranian-flagged MT Horse and Panama-flagged MT Frea. The two ships were strongly suspected of having violated navigation rules and conducted illegal activities of loading and unloading oil in the territorial waters of Indonesia. Indonesia as an archipelagic country and a party to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) must accept a compromise to the international community. The compromise is that Indonesia had to guarantee access or navigation routes for foreign ships passing through the territorial waters of Indonesia. Access to navigation is manifested in the rights of innocent passage in the territorial waters and the rights of transit passage in the archipelagic sea lanes of Indonesia (ALKI).
Enforcement of Sovereignty at Sea and Navigation of Foreign Ships
Conservation and sustainable utilisation of the oceans (events)
Through Campus Activity Unit (UKK) of Center for Human Resources and Environmental Research (PPSML), School of Environmental Studies (SIL) of Universitas Indonesia successfully entered into cooperation contracts with a number of vendors, such as PT. Asahi Chemical, PT. Riau Andalan Pulp & Paper, and others to support sustainable conservation and use of the sea through training, monitoring, and scholarships.
Food from aquatic ecosystems (policies)
Universitas Indonesia imposes a policy to ensure that the food supply on campus comes from aquatic ecosystems and is harvested sustainably. This commitment is stated in UI Rector’s Decree No. 057 of 2017 concerning the Implementation of Occupational Safety, Health, and Environment (K3L) at UI canteens. The decree states that food and beverage management should comply with certain requirements, one of which is that all processed materials should be of good quality, fresh, and not rotten. The decree also refers to Government Regulation No. 28 of 2004 concerning Food Safety, Quality, and Nutrition Article 3 stipulating that the fulfillment of sanitation requirements in all food chain activities is carried out by applying good guidelines including fresh food and good methods of cultivation, production, food production, food distribution, food retail, and fast-food production.
Maintain ecosystems and their biodiversity (direct work)
Universitas Indonesia is committed to maintaining plant diversity, particularly plants threatened with extinction in Indonesia. This commitment is carried out by UI through research as well as direct monitoring and maintenance. Periodically, the Technical Implementation Unit (UPT) of Occupational Safety, Health, and Environment (K3L) monitors and maintains endangered trees in UI urban forest and green open spaces. In addition, replanting of endangered plants or substitutes for fallen or dead plants is also carried out in several available locations, such as green spaces.
Monitoring and Maintenance Endangered Trees in the Area of UI
Furthermore, the Research Center for Climate Change (RCCC) of UI also routinely conducts research related to plants on both regional and global scale. Then, in maintaining the ecosystems, UI in collaboration with the Provincial Government of DKI Jakarta in Rector’s Decree No. 3487 of 1999 also carries out management in maintaining the quality of biotic and abiotic lake ecosystems through various activities, such as monitoring and routine researches on lake quality at UI.
Technologies towards aquatic ecosystem damage prevention (direct work)
Faculty members and researchers from the Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Engineering (FT) conducted research on the synthesis of Ag/TiO2 catalysts to study its ability to disinfect pathogenic microorganisms and degrade them into micropollutants in water. The techniques used to characterize and determine the effect of silver dopants on the structure of TiO2 were SEM-EDX, UV-Vis DRS, and XRD. This research opens the possibility to determine the optimal performance of microbial disinfection and microplastic degradation in water for a predetermined time.
In addition, faculty members and researchers from FT UI and Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA) also conducted research on watersheds in Indonesia because a healthy watershed is not only for ecosystems, but also for human socio-economic activities. Therefore, a compatible assessment model is required to identify watershed health in Indonesia, referring to the Regulation of the Minister of Forestry No. 60 of 2014. This research also develops a mathematical model using multiple linear regression analysis to identify influential indicators. The indicators used are a combination of indicators from the Regulation of the Minister of Forestry No. 60 of 2014 with directions from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US-EPA) to include biotic indicators.
Modeling Watershed Health Assessment for Five Watersheds in Lampung Province, Indonesia
Water discharge guidelines and standards
Universitas Indonesia complies with Government Regulation of the Republic of Indonesia No. 22 of 2021 concerning the Implementation of Environmental Protection and Management containing water quality standards in the appendix as national water quality standards. In addition, UI also complies with the Regulation of the Minister of Environment and Forestry of the Republic of Indonesia No: P.68/Menlhk/Setjen/Kum.1/8/2016 concerning Domestic Waste Quality Standards as guidelines for water disposal.
The implementation of water disposal guidelines and standards is also applied at the faculty level, such as at Faculty of Medicine (FK), Faculty of Public Health (FKM), Faculty of Psychology, and Faculty of Humanities (FIB), regarding the disposal of wastewater in the canteens by separating water and grease using a Grease Trap. The water will be discharged into a septic tank or water catchment while the grease will be collected regularly by a third party.
Action plan to reducing plastic waste
The action plan to reduce plastic waste is implemented at the university level through UI Rector’s Decree No. 4 of 2019 concerning Zero Plastic Program. There is also a policy at the faculty level, referring to the Decree, such as the Circular Letter No: SE-002/UN2.F11.D/RTK.00/2019 concerning the Appeal for Reducing Plastic Waste, Saving Paper Usage, and Using Environmentally Friendly Foodstuffs at Faculty of Computer Science (Fasilkom), and the Announcement No: PENG-4/UN2.F14.WDV2/HMI.01/2020 at Vocational Program. Other faculties also have their own policies referring to the Decree.
UI Rector’s Decree No. 4 of 2019 Concerning Zero Plastic Program
Announcement No: PENG-4/UN2.F14.WDV2/HMI.01/2020 at Vocational Program of UI
Moreover, actions to reduce plastic waste at the faculty level are realized in various ways: installing signs to save paper such as using tissue in toilets, using tumblers and food containers on campus, printing and using both sides of paper, reducing plastic and paper usage in both working rooms and meeting rooms, sorting plastic waste for recycling, and using waste as flower pots and garden decorations at Faculty of Medicine (FK), Faculty of Psychology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB), Faculty of Administrative Science (FIA), and Faculty of Public Health (FKM).
Measures to Reduce the Use of Plastic Waste at Faculty of Psychology of UI
Measures to Reduce the Use of Plastic Waste at Faculty of Humanities (FIB) of UI
Socialization of the Reduction of Single-Use Items at FIA UI
Reducing marine pollution (policy)
Universitas Indonesia has policies to prevent and reduce all types of marine pollution, especially from land-based activities, one of which is the Green Campus Policy and Quality Policy to achieve zero pollution including marine pollution. UI is also committed to complying with Government Regulation of the Republic of Indonesia No. 22 of 2021 concerning the Implementation of Environmental Protection and Management. Furthermore, UI in cooperation with the Provincial Government of DKI Jakarta through Decree No. 3487 of 1999 regulates the joint management of lake (reservoirs) ecosystems at UI. The management is in the form of maintaining the biotic and abiotic quality of the lake ecosystems through several activities, including routine activities of monitoring and research related to lake quality at UI.
Minimizing alteration of aquatic ecosystems (plan)
Universitas Indonesia compiles an environmental management plan to minimize biological, chemical, and physical changes to the associated aquatic ecosystems. Therefore, UI conducts an assessment and evaluation of the activities taken in order to create environmental management and monitoring documents to ensure that the activities of UI campus can be conducted in a sustainable and environmentally sound manner. The monitoring and evaluation of the environmental quality of UI Campus Area are carried out in three administrative areas of UI Campus, namely UI Campus in Salemba, Central Jakarta, UI Campus in Srengseng Sawah, South Jakarta, and UI Campus in Pondok Cina, Kukusan, Beji, Depok.
Monitoring and Evaluation of the Environmental Quality of UI Campus Area
Furthermore, there is a quality policy in the Management System Guidelines for UI Occupational Safety, Health and Environment (K3L) as well as in the Circular Letter SE-013/UN2.F15.D2/LOG.01/2019 concerning Destruction of Research Waste by Students at the Laboratory of Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitas Indonesia. In short, the two policies identify potential hazards of the chemical waste to the environment and safety as well as the risks and the management to prevent occupational diseases, reduce incidence rates, and minimize environmental pollution including aquatic ecosystems in compliance with national laws and regulations.
Monitoring the health of aquatic ecosystems
Universitas Indonesia is committed to supervising the health of aquatic ecosystems by evaluating and monitoring the ecosystems and water quality on campus regularly every 6 months, carried out by the Technical Implementation Unit (UPT) of Occupational Safety, Health, and Environment (K3L) of UI. In implementing this activity, UI has an Environmental Evaluation Document (DELH) and an Environmental permit from the Environmental Agency (BLH) of Depok and Jakarta since the Environmental Management Plan (RKL) and the Environmental Monitoring Plan (RPL) must be reported by UI to the agencies tasked with managing the environment at the Center, Province, and District/Municipality as a manifestation of the responsibility of the initiator to provide the correct and accurate information.
Monitoring and Evaluation of the Environmental Quality of UI Campus Area
Programs towards good aquatic stewardship practices
Faculty of Engineering (FT) of Universitas Indonesia establishes an environmental management plan to minimize changes in the related physical, chemical, and biological aquatic ecosystems. FT UI has attempted to manage environmental changes caused by campus activities, one of which is applied to the i-CELL building. The i-CELL building has a water treatment stream for rainwater and chemical waste. The rainwater reservoir has a capacity of 55 m3, while the chemical waste tank from the laboratory has a capacity of 5 m3/day. The treated water will later be used for flushing and irrigation.
Collaboration for shared aquatic ecosystems
Plastic waste on the banks of Ciliwung River is one of the causes of flood in Kampung Melayu Village. Thus, academicians across faculties at Universitas Indonesia conducted community service in the form of socialization and education about the danger of plastic waste and training in sorting waste, composting, and making liquid fertilizer. The academicians come from Faculty of Psychology and the School of Environmental Studies (SIL) in collaboration with the Kertabumi Recycling Center. In addition to conducting socialization and training, the community service team also distributed planting media equipment and various kinds of vegetables to motivate the participants to apply the materials delivered in their respective homes.
UI Academicians Holding Behavioral Engineering Training to Change Trash Habits in Ciliwung
Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA) also held an action called ‘UI Peduli’ through a program entitled “Mangrove Planting in Citarum Estuary as Anticipation of Marine Abrasion and Conservation of Javan Langur (Trachypithecus Auratus)” in Pantai Bahagia Village, Muara Gembong Subdistrict, Bekasi District, West Java. As many as 200 mangrove seedlings were planted by the team at the estuary of Citarum River. This activity is realized by collaborating with Pandu Cendekia Foundation and supported by the Directorate of Community Service and Empowerment (DPPM) of
UI. Socialization and educational activities were carried out to raise the awareness of the community that mangroves have a strategic role for habitats and ecosystems. It is different from Faculty of Humanities (FIB) providing assistance in catfish aquaculture for students of SMPN 290 Jakarta in order to be self-sufficient and economically independent.
FMIPA UI Planting Mangroves to Support the Conservation of Javan Langur
Faculty members and researchers from the Department of Chemistry of FMIPA UI and Faculty of Psychology conducted research on the plastic waste management model solution in Ciliwung River Basin. Briefly, this research describes solutions that can minimize plastic waste in the Ciliwung watershed. The research reveals that raising public awareness at the local level, particularly the community in the vicinity of the river basin, can reduce plastic waste from the community. Therefore, the solution focuses on reducing the amount of plastic waste and monitoring the plastic waste management. A persuasive approach through outreach and training, provision of facilities, and law enforcement can become a strategy to encourage the behavioral change of the community.
Plastic Waste Management Model Solution in Ciliwung River Basin
Based on UI Rector’s Decree No. 2446/Sk/R/Ui/2016 concerning the Master Plan for the New Campus of Universitas Indonesia in Depok in 2016-2026, the water management plan aims to develop water resources in the UI Depok Campus area to serve as infiltration facility, flood control facilities, campus forest support, educational and research facilities, sports and recreation facilities for residents around the UI Depok Campus, as well as being a landscape component adding to the beauty of nature and environment, the freshness of the atmosphere, and the coolness of the surrounding air. Referring to the Decree, one of the faculties implementing this strategy is Faculty of Psychology with a waterway from the river at the university. The water will later be used to water plants around the campus using a water pump.
Prof. Setyo S. Mursidik, a professor of Faculty of Engineering (FT), delivered a speech entitled “Crossing Water Science and Technological Innovation Challenges” during the Open Session of his inauguration as a Permanent Professor of Environmental Engineering, stating that other challenges faced were related to water problems, such as rainwater management, climate change adaptation, and increasing the use of new water. To overcome these problems, he proposed solutions as follows: the requirement for the processing technology used, controlling pollution sources and changing behavior, reforesting cities, and other solutions based on water catchment as natural principles applied through Green Open Space (RTH) and Bioswale concept, waste management concentrated and more energy-efficient installations, innovative approaches to providing rural wastewater treatment through natural technology approaches such as wetlands, sustainable financing including infrastructure investment, and activating a circular economy in every use of energy generation that has economic added value.
Prof. Setyo S. Mursidik Reveals Challenges, Solutions, and Opportunities for Water Problems
The Universitas Indonesia in supporting the achievement of the SDGs has been covered by several media.
