Page 286 - BUKU STRENGTHENING THE INDONESIAN PARLIAMENTARY DIPLOMACY FADLI ZON

Responsible Energy Consumption

and Production for Sustainable Cities

and Communities

I would like to start by welcoming you all. My name is Fadli Zon, Vice Speaker of the House of
Representatives of Indonesia coordinator for political and security matters, and it is an honor
for me to facilitate the First Plenary Session.

We will start our gathering in Bali within these two days with discussing issue on Responsible
Energy Consumption and Production for Sustainable Cities and Communities.

Our world is currently facing serious challenges. Human use of natural resources and associ-
ated environmental impacts affect basic ecosystem services such as the provision of food and
water as well as cycle of nutrient, which are supported by biodiversity. This is also impacted by
climate change in a negative way, with unknown long-term consequences.

To a large extent, energy is a central resource which makes it possible to utilize other resources
for human needs, like building infrastructures, supplying food and water. Available and af-
fordable energy is the prerequisite for combatting poverty in developing economies.

Higher demand for consumption leads to increasing use of resources. Further, energy con-
sumption has negative impacts to the environment. Most of energy consumption occurs in
cities because of the high concentration of human activities as well as energy demand. Thus,
cities are responsible for a big share of carbon dioxide (CO2) as well as significant amounts of
other greenhouse gases.

Selected Speeches of the Vice Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia I 273