How Indonesia Became a Global Leader in Ocean Cleanup — and Why That’s Not Enough
Indonesia, the largest country in the world as far as an archipelago is concerned, has been a nation to look up to in the area of ocean pollution issues. With over 17,000 islands and greater marine biodiversity, Indonesia has led in ocean conservation. From large waste removal operations to ocean conservation initiatives with policy support, Indonesia's initiatives have been making global headlines. But striking as they are, closer examination is a more nuanced picture—one that requires solutions more profound and enduring than purging. A Nation Rises to the Challenge Indonesia's geographical location places the nation so that it is exposed to ocean pollution and, more so, plastic pollution. The government and the stakeholders have invested heavily in Indonesia's ocean conservation. The efforts have varied from banning single-use plastics to enhancing coastal management. In the process, the nation has significantly dropped out of the leading positions of the world's lea...