Yogyakarta, February 25th 2025─The Department of the Public Policy and Management held a Studium Generale entitled “Integrated Hydro – Irrigation – Restoration Systems”. This theme is a response to overcome various challenges, especially in water resources.
The event presented Prof. Edward P. Weber, professor of Public Policy of the Oregon State University, USA. He saw that problems regarding the management of our food, water and energy are still seen as partial problems. This perspective makes food, water and energy management inefficient and unsustainable.
In fact, these fundamental aspects of human life are facing challenges that threaten their sustainability such as increasing population; increasing demand for food, water and energy; global corporate competition; inefficient infrastructure; and climate change. These challenges drive the urgency of sustainable management.
Edward emphasized that looking at this problem requires a holistic perspective. The complexity of this problem requires policy efforts that can answer these various challenges. “Don’t avoid complexity in policy, face it and continue to seek innovation,” he said.
He offered his perspective on policies that can answer these challenges. According to him, policies that must be found are policies that are responsive to climate change; maintain ecological and ecosystem sustainability; efficient energy production; economically beneficial; and sensitive to the existing cultures.
This perspective leads to the abstract idea of integration between food, water and energy management. Public policies that accommodate innovation and are able to respond to this transition can manifest this idea of integration. He believes that policies that integrate these three fundamental aspects of human life are capable of becoming sustainable solutions.
Not only in the policy realm, he believes that individual agency is needed in formulating and implementing this policy. He said that the leaders needed are leaders who are able to facilitate, have a vision, and have integrity and commitment to sustainability. “Willingness to accept new ideas, focusing on a holistic framing of sustainability that benefits economic, environmental, and energy sustainability aspects,” he concluded.