Green economy in Indonesia and Southeast Asia can be enhanced through synergy between the governments and the younger generation by making initiatives and creating innovations.

Jakarta (Indonesia Window) – The Indonesian Minister of Trade, Zulkifli Hasan, is optimistic that the Southeast Asian region can become a center for the growth of green economy.

The government's synergy with the younger generation can encourage efforts to make initiatives and create innovations to strengthen the green economy in Indonesia and in Southeast Asia, the minister said at the launch of the Green Economy Youth Organization (GEYO) on Wednesday.

The event, which took place in a hybrid manner, carried the theme "The Role of the Government in Supporting Youth in Disseminating the Results of the G20 Summit and Active Role in Indonesia's Chair of ASEAN 2023".

Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan hopes that GEYO can become a youth organization that realizes its vision and mission in realizing a better, advanced and sovereign Indonesia that focuses on the environment and green economy.

"I really appreciate the formation of GEYO in encouraging the role of the younger generation as the center of sustainable development, especially the green economy," Minister Zulkifli said.

According to the trade minister, during a meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) leaders with ASEAN Youth, President Joko Widodo stated that as much as 33 percent of the ASEAN population or around 225 million people are young people.

The strong demographic advantage should be utilized so that the Southeast Asia region can become a center of growth, he said, adding that ASEAN would have a green economic potential of one billion U.S. dollars in 2030.

"For this reason, ASEAN is expected to focus on formulating policies that are conducive to the development of a green economy, investment expansion, and support for technology transfer in the green economy sector," he said.

In 2023, Indonesia will hold the chairmanship of ASEAN, and at the same time, the world economic situation is predicted to be less than ideal for economic development, he noted.

From a geopolitical and economic standpoint, the situation is still not yet conducive and the world is still experiencing multidimensional challenges.

"In the midst of an uncertain situation, we should be grateful that the economic growth in Southeast Asia is above the average world economic growth. For this reason, at the ASEAN chairmanship next year, Indonesia will push the Southeast Asian region as a center of growth, 'an epicentrum of growth', Zulkifli said.

He pointed out that competitive innovation in the green economy is the future of ASEAN to continue to grow and be sustainable.

Reporting by Indonesia Window