MPR Goes to Udayana University Campus, Vice Chairman of the Indonesian MPR Eddy Soeparno Encourages the Academic Community to Give Input Regarding Renewable Energy Policy

Denpasar – The MPR Goes to Campus National Seminar was held at Udayana University (Unud), Bali with the theme The Urgency of Energy Transition to Prevent the Impact of Climate Change at the Dr. A.A Made Djelantik Meeting Room, Faculty of Medicine, Unud, Sudirman Campus, Denpasar, Friday (16/5/2025). Through this National Seminar with Udayana University, it is hoped that it will become a space to find the best policy solutions to prevent the impact of the climate crisis and accelerate the transition to renewable energy. This activity was attended by the academic community within Unud with two presenters, namely the Vice Chairman of the Indonesian MPR, Dr. Eddy Soeparno, SH., MH and Professor at the Faculty of Engineering, Unud Prof. Ir. Ida Ayu Dwi Giriantari, M.Eng.Sc.,Ph.D.,IPM.,ASEAN Eng.

Rector of Unud Prof. Ir. I Ketut Sudarsana, ST., Ph.D in his speech said that the issue of climate change is no longer just a global issue, but has become a real problem that is faced together at the national and local levels. All parties must move quickly and have the courage to make a transition towards clean and renewable energy. The theme of this seminar is very much in line with the constitutional mandate, which emphasizes that every citizen has the right to live in a good and healthy environment. This is not just an individual right, but also a shared collective responsibility, including academics.

Udayana University as a higher education institution continues to strive to be part of the solution. Through research, technological innovation and curriculum development that is adaptive to environmental issues, Udayana University is committed to supporting the acceleration of the energy transition. The Rector believes that the campus is a strategic place to foster the critical awareness of the younger generation and produce future leaders who are environmentally conscious.

"We welcome the invitation from the MPR RI to discuss, exchange ideas, and provide input on the direction of energy and environmental policy in the future, especially in the context of the new government which is targeting high economic growth which must be in line with environmental sustainability," said the Rector of Unud.

Vice Chairman of the Indonesian People's Consultative Assembly Dr. Eddy Soeparno, SH., MH in his presentation said that the Prabowo-Gibran Government has an economic growth target of up to 8 percent, and of course energy demand will increase. To prepare for this demand, Indonesia must increase energy supplies while still paying attention to environmental issues. The renewable energy mix is ​​currently around 14 percent, far from the target of 23 percent in 2025. Based on the National Energy Policy RPP, the renewable energy mix in 2025 will be adjusted to 17-19 percent. Indonesia has very large renewable energy sources, where the potential for solar energy is the greatest besides geothermal, water, wind, ocean currents and others. In the midst of the abundance of domestic energy sources, national energy needs still depend on imports, especially fuel and LPG.

The importance of energy security, which in Indonesia is currently very vulnerable due to the high volume of imports to meet domestic needs. In fact, Indonesia is able to achieve national energy independence through the energy transition, by optimizing all domestic renewable energy sources. This will reduce dependence on imported energy.

"It's time for campuses to be actively involved in providing research-based policy proposals from campuses. The MPR RI is ready to facilitate campus participation from the aspects of policy, legislation and supervision. The MPR RI is also ready to encourage the government to strengthen collaboration with academics and campuses to develop renewable energy policies, one of which is Udayana University which has a very important role in research and innovation," he said.

Meanwhile the speaker, Prof. Ir. Ida Ayu Dwi Giriantari, M.Eng.Sc.,Ph.D.,IPM.,ASEAN Eng. in his material entitled The Urgency of the Energy Transition to Prevent the Impact of Climate Change, he explains that the transition to renewable energy is an important mitigation step to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change. The use of clean energy sources such as sun, wind and water can replace dependence on fossil fuels, especially coal, where coal contributes around 61 percent of electricity generation. This dependence exacerbates greenhouse gas emissions and accelerates the rate of climate change, making the transition to renewable energy an urgent mitigation strategy.