The Ministry of National Development Planning of Indonesia (Bappenas), in collaboration with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), launched the Climate Resilient and Inclusive Social Protection (CRISP) Project in Indonesia under the theme “Towards Independent and Resilient Communities in Facing Climate Change.” The CRISP Project in Indonesia seeks to identify policy opportunities in community empowerment and social protection to mitigate the negative impacts of climate change. It also aims to strengthen livelihoods and social cohesion, particularly among vulnerable groups, to ensure resilience in the face of climate-related risks. 

“This collaboration between Bappenas and ESCAP will serve as a strategic platform to strengthen our joint capacity and promote the exchange of best practices in sustainable development planning that is both climate-responsive and data-driven,” said H.E. Febryan Alphyanto Ruddyard, Vice Minister of National Development Planning / Vice Head of the National Planning Agency.

Over the next three years, the ESCAP-led initiative, funded by the United Nations Peace and Development Trust Fund, will help governments across Asia and the Pacific integrate social protection with climate resilience and just transition strategies. 

“The policy choices we make today will determine whether our region’s growth and development can withstand the climate crisis tomorrow. Expanding and adapting social protection is among the most strategic investments we can make,” underscored Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ESCAP at the project’s launch. 

“The UN in Indonesia supports the country in the full spectrum of social protection through cutting-edge expertise and analysis. This is where CRISP, in partnership with Bappenas and ESCAP, brings to bear critical value-adds,” said Gita Sabharwal, United Nations Resident Coordinator for Indonesia. 

The launch event featured high-level interventions and a panel discussion that examined the socioeconomic risks of climate change for individuals and communities in Indonesia, the role of social protection and community empowerment in building climate resilience, opportunities for developing adaptive empowerment policies, and key insights to inform upcoming project activities. The high-level panel brought together experts from government, international organizations, and the Indonesian Academy of Sciences (AIPI), an independent institution that convenes Indonesia’s leading scientists.

The CRISP Project marks a new step in Indonesia’s journey toward inclusive and climate-resilient development, as mandated in various government commitments, including Presidential Regulation No. 12 of 2025 on the National Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMN) 2025–2029. This collaboration ensures that the people of Indonesia as well as those in the Asia-Pacific region are not just prepared to face climate change, but also empowered to thrive in a changing world.