Nusantara, a new city located on the eastern coast of Borneo in Indonesia, is currently undergoing construction. This new city will serve as the country’s new capital, replacing Jakarta, which is at risk of sinking due to rising sea levels. The decision to move the capital from Jakarta to Nusantara is a result of the climate crisis and the need to relocate the government and population from an area that is becoming increasingly uninhabitable.
Jakarta, currently Indonesia’s capital and largest city, is home to over 10.6 million people and about 30 million in the metropolitan area. However, about 40% of Jakarta is now below sea level. The city’s position as the world’s fastest-sinking megacity due to rising sea levels has prompted the Indonesian government to take action.
The construction of Nusantara is estimated to cost $35 billion and is expected to be completed by 2045. Despite the completion date, about 6,000 government workers are expected to move to Nusantara in time for the next president’s inauguration in October. The move of the capital from Jakarta to Nusantara follows a trend of countries relocating their capitals, with Brazil moving from Rio de Janeiro to Brasilia in 1960 and Nigeria moving from Lagos to Abuja in 1991. However, this is the first time that the climate crisis has played a significant role in such a decision-making process.
