Devid Prianata, a researcher at the State Christian Institute of Palangka Raya, has sounded the alarm on a critical issue facing Indonesia’s higher education sector: the environmental degradation of university campuses. In a recent policy paper published in *Amuya* (translated as “The Source”), Prianata and his team argue that without urgent intervention, campuses like his own risk becoming ecological liabilities rather than models of sustainability.
The study highlights three pressing challenges at the Palangka Raya campus: the loss of water absorption zones due to unchecked construction, the neglect of green spaces, and a waste management system that operates in silos. “We’re seeing concrete replacing soil at an alarming rate,” Prianata notes. “Every square meter that can’t absorb rainwater is a missed opportunity to combat flooding and urban heat islands.” The paper suggests that these issues are not isolated but symptomatic of a broader governance problem in Indonesia’s state religious universities.
The proposed solution—a binding regulation from the Ministry of Religious Affairs—could reshape how these institutions operate. Prianata’s team argues that standardized green campus guidelines would enforce a minimum 30% green space requirement, mandate pedestrian-friendly infrastructure, and integrate waste management into a circular economy. “This isn’t just about trees and sidewalks,” Prianata explains. “It’s about creating a system where every policy decision—from construction to curriculum—aligns with environmental stewardship.”
For the energy sector, the implications are significant. Universities like Palangka Raya consume vast amounts of electricity for cooling and waste processing. By reducing heat island effects through greener campuses, institutions could lower energy demands and cut costs. Prianata’s research suggests that such policies could also spur innovation in renewable energy adoption, from solar-powered buildings to biogas from organic waste.
The paper’s call for a top-down policy framework raises questions about scalability. If the Ministry of Religious Affairs adopts these guidelines, could other sectors follow? Prianata remains cautiously optimistic. “This is a test case,” he says. “If we can prove that green campus policies deliver measurable benefits—lower energy bills, healthier students, cleaner air—it could set a precedent for how Indonesia approaches sustainability in public institutions.”
As the debate over environmental governance intensifies, Prianata’s work offers a blueprint for action. Whether it gains traction may depend on whether universities and policymakers see sustainability as a cost or an investment. One thing is clear: the cost of inaction is rising.