The impact of climate change has been harsh on Jakarta, Indonesia’s capital. With about ten million inhabitants, the city has dealt with various problems including air pollution, flooding, and groundwater extraction, which has led parts of the city to be below sea level. The authorities have decided to establish a new capital for the country called Nusantara, meaning ‘Indonesian archipelago’, located on the island of Borneo over 1,000 kilometers away from Jakarta. Construction began in August 2022 and was inaugurated last year.
The idea for the new capital emerged before the pandemic as a government plan to relocate the capital to a different city, with a budget of over $45 billion. Despite this substantial investment, there are concerns in the country that it may end up becoming a ‘ghost city’. Infrastructure developments already in place include hospitals, roads, residential and government buildings, water systems, and an airport, as reported by The Guardian. Nusantara will serve as the ‘political capital’ starting from 2028.
By 2028, the main country’s institutions, including the State Palace, legislative, and judicial powers, are expected to move to Nusantara. However, the city is not projected to be fully completed until 2045.
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