In an era of climate change, the challenges we face as a global community can often appear overwhelming and insurmountable. The forecasts and predictions of catastrophic climate change can no longer be ignored. Last week, AIYA hosted an educational seminar in Yogyakarta which aimed to tackle some of these issues head on. One of our guest speakers, Neil Faragher, joins us to share some of his knowledge on the topic of renewable energy and why we have reason to be hopeful.

1. In your opinion, what are the main environmental issues we are facing globally?

I am most worried about climate change and biodiversity loss.  A recent UN report states 1 million species are on the verge of extinction because of human activities – that will be a massive problem for our civilisation, and a key driver of this is climate change from ever-increasing greenhouse gas emissions. Whilst developed nations have been emitting greenhouse gases for over two centuries, global emissions continue to increase as developing nations raise their standard of living (as they should!). Globally, we must shift away from fossil fuels as our primary source of energy as soon as possible. Renewable Energy is a key solution to this problem.

2. Tell us about your background, how you became interested in Renewable Energy?

Originally, I studied to become a Mechanical Engineer at the University of Auckland. Soon after uni, I got a job where I was responsible for designing various plastic based products. I soon realised that these consumable goods I was helping develop would end up as landfill, or worse, pollution. As someone who really values the outdoors this was a big problem for me. Around a similar time, I saw Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth and began thinking about how I could apply my engineering skills in tackling the problem of climate change. Shortly after, I was fortunate enough to get work with a company designing concentrated solar technology. This technology particularly excited me as it aims to make solar power cheaper by using mirrors to focus light onto a small area of highly efficient solar panels. I’ve been mainly focused on designing the thermal aspects of this technology.

Ivanpah solar power station, Nevada- USA

3. What are some of the exciting renewable energy technologies being developed and how can they be implemented to help us going forward?

Currently, I am particularly excited by three types of renewable energy:

• Presently, the USA, Morocco and Spain have built extremely large scale concentrated solar thermal power stations. These have the potential to replace entire coal power stations in the immediate future. They have the ability to store heat at high temperature and use this to drive steam turbines to dispatch electricity overnight. What’s exciting is that the next generation of these solar power plants will use sand rather than expensive molten salts as a heat bearing medium. This will be instrumental in lowering power costs.
• Another exciting technology is owned by Sundrop Farms based in Adelaide, South Australia. This technology combines solar thermal power with desalination and hydroponics to grow various vegetables such as tomatoes, capsicum and lettuce using sunlight and seawater as the main inputs. This has great potential to assist with food production in very dry climates around the world.
• Finally, I am inspired by the potential and ongoing improvements of battery production. Large scale battery installations are becoming cheaper every year and allow sunlight to be stored overnight. Installing more of these batteries results in less reliance on coal and gas for power generation – not to mention that we can also power our motor vehicles with batteries!

Sundrop farms, South Australia

4. How might some of these technologies affect the relationship between Australia and Indonesia?

Development of renewable energy technologies has great potential to strengthen Australia/Indonesia relations. There are plans to build an underwater power line linking Australia and Indonesia. Australia, with its vast areas of empty space and significant quantities of sunlight could export excess solar energy to Indonesia. Indonesia also has the ability to develop significant wind and geothermal energy technologies, reducing its heavy dependence on fossil fuels. It is essential countries such as Australia and Indonesia collaborate for equitable power generation if we are to be successful in tackling climate change.

5. In your opinion, what are some of the main obstacles we face in transitioning to renewable energy?

Unfortunately, the fossil fuel lobby is a huge obstacle we must overcome in order to transition to renewables. Major lobby groups from fossil fuel industries have been extremely effective in lobbying governments to block progress towards renewables. Although this has caused significant political hurdles and stalled advancements towards clean technologies, increasingly citizens are making their voices heard and demanding that governments take climate change seriously.

6. Based on your knowledge and involvement in renewable energy, do we have reason to be hopeful about the future?

Although the challenges of climate change can appear frustrating and overwhelming much of the time, my work in the field of renewable energy brings me great hope. As standard solar power is increasingly rolled out it becomes cheaper and more accessible to install. In many parts of the world, it is now cheaper to install solar power than it is to produce new coal power plants. The economics of renewable energy is becoming increasingly cost effective and will eventually override those blocking progress towards clean technology. I am also encouraged by the recent turn out of young people, particularly school students, who are demanding governments take greater action on climate change. With a politically and environmentally conscious generation like this one on the way, we can’t help but be hopeful.

Thanks Neil and Laura for the fantastic interview! 

The Australia-Indonesia Youth Exchange Program (AIYEP) links youth in Australia and Indonesia through social, professional and cultural exchange and runs from October through to February every year.

This week, we talk to Tim Flicker about his AIYEP experience!

What is your occupation/what are you studying?

Careers and Alumni Coordinator, Trinity College, the University of Melbourne

What year did you participate in AIYEP and where was your program based?

2015/2016- Canberra/West Kalimantan

How did you become interested in/involved with Indonesia?

Initially, through learning Indonesian at school. I then had the chance to travel to Jakarta when I was in year 11 and was hooked.

What motivated you to apply AIYEP?

I had heard from other alumni such as Luke Dawes and Joey Eagleton about how rewarding and amazing the AIYEP experience is.

What was the highlight of your AIYEP experience?

So many highlights…. definitely one was being greeted by the entire village when we arrived in the village of Lumbang in Sambas.

What advice would you give someone who is thinking about applying for AIYEP?

Think about the skills you bring to the group, whether it be community development experience, leadership, love of sports etc everyone has a skill/passion. It’s an absolutely amazing experience and definitely recommend anyone to apply!

Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and experiences with us Tim. Stay tuned for more AIYEP alumni profiles in the coming weeks!

Applications for AIYEP38 are open now until the 16th of June 2019, so make sure to get your application in! More information about applications can be found on the AFS Australia website.

Artikel ini sumbernya dari The Conversation.

Saat orang Australia bersiap-siap untuk pemilihan umum mereka yang akan datang pada bulan Mei, orang Indonesia akan menuju ke kotak suara Rabu, 17 April 2019.

Lebih dari 190 juta orang terdaftar untuk memilih dalam demokrasi terbesar di Asia Tenggara. Warga kedua negara akan memilih perwakilan mereka dalam pemilihan masing-masing, tapi mereka memiliki cara berbeda dalam pelaksanaannya.

Pemilihan presiden langsung

Pertama, tidak seperti di Australia yang mewajibkan warganya mengikuti pemilu, orang Indonesia dapat memilih untuk menggunakan hak pilih mereka atau untuk memutuskan untuk tidak memilih. Analis memperkirakan bahwa jumlah yang tidak memilih, yang disebut “golongan putih” (golput), di Indonesia akan meningkat tahun ini. Sementara beberapa pemilih mungkin tidak muncul ke kotak suara karena apatis terhadap politik, beberapa golput berpendapat bahwa ini adalah sikap politik yang dibenarkan karena tidak adanya calon yang dianggap baik. Orang-orang ini bisa jadi datang ke tempat pemungutan suara, tapi mencoblos semua kertas suara, untuk memastikan pilihan mereka (untuk tidak memilih) tercatat.

Parlemen Australia secara de facto digambarkan sebagai sistem dua partai. Pemilih Australia tidak dapat secara langsung memilih perdana menteri mereka. Sebaliknya, mereka memilih anggota parlemen mereka dari dua partai besar, beberapa partai kecil, atau anggota independen. Dalam kebanyakan kasus, anggota parlemen adalah anggota atau pendukung partai politik. Partai politik yang berhasil memenangkan lebih dari 75 kursi anggota parlemen akan membentuk pemerintahan, dan pemimpinnya akan ditunjuk sebagai perdana menteri.

Sementara, Indonesia melaksanakan pemilihan presiden langsung di bawah sistem multipartai. Meskipun pemilih Indonesia dapat memilih presiden mereka, pencalonan calon presiden ditentukan oleh partai politik yang memperoleh minimum 20% kursi di DPR.

Pada hari Rabu, pemilih Indonesia akan memilih kandidat untuk presiden dan legislator. Tahun ini, ada dua kandidat presiden dan 14 partai politik yang bertanding.

Presiden petahana Joko “Jokowi” Widodo sekali lagi akan berhadapan dengan mantan jenderal Prabowo Subianto. Jokowi, kandidat dari Partai Demokrasi Perjuangan Indonesia (PDI-P), didukung oleh koalisi yang beranggotakan delapan partai lain. Prabowo dari Partai Gerakan Indonesia Raya (Gerindra) memiliki tiga partai lain di koalisinya.

Sistem pemilihan presiden langsung diperkenalkan di Inodnesia pada 2004. Indonesia telah melaksanakan pemilihan umum sejak tahun 1955. Namun, Indonesia sempat dekat dengan gaya kepemimpinan otoriter, baik di bawah Soekarno maupun Soeharto. Setelah jatuhnya Soeharto pada tahun 1998, Indonesia mengalami demokratisasi.

Kandidat presiden harus mengamankan lebih dari 50% dari suara rakyat untuk memenangkan pemilihan. Jika tidak ada kandidat yang dapat memperoleh 50% dalam pemilihan, pemilihan putaran kedua akan diadakan untuk mencari suara mayoritas.

Presiden terpilih di Indonesia adalah kepala negara dan kepala pemerintahan. Karena pemerintah eksekutif tidak berasal dari kamar legislatif, presiden Indonesia bukan anggota parlemen. Presiden menggunakan kekuasannya untuk membentuk kabinet. Para menteri fokus menjalankan portofolio eksekutif dan bukan bagian dari fungsi legislatif.

Kursi legislatif

Sistem preferensi pemilihan Dewan Perwakilan Australia memungkinkan hampir 17 juta pemilih memberikan peringkat suara mereka berdasarkan preferensi mereka.

Sementara di Indonesia, pemilihan umum presiden menggunakan sistem mayoritas sederhana, di mana warga hanya memberikan suara untuk satu opsi. Pemilih Indonesia menggunakan paku untuk memukul kertas suara, sementara pemilih Australia menandai pilihan mereka menggunakan pulpen.

Australia melaksanakan pemungutan suara pemenang tunggal, artinya satu daerah pemilihan hanya diwakili oleh satu anggota dari satu partai politik atau independen. Di Indonesia, satu daerah pemilihan dapat diwakili oleh lebih dari satu anggota dari lebih dari satu partai politik.

Sementara Dewan Perwakilan Australia yang akan datang akan terdiri dari 151 anggota dan masing-masing akan mewakili distrik dengan satu anggota, DPR akan terdiri dari 575 kursi dari 80 daerah pemilihan. Dengan kata lain, setiap konstituensi Indonesia diwakili oleh lebih dari satu anggota, tergantung pada ukuran populasi.

Memainkan kartu truf: politik identitas

Seperti di negara manapun, ada isu-isu khusus yang membuat para pemilih menjadi sangat emosional, dan di sinilah para politikus biasanya mengeksploitasi taktik mereka untuk mengumpulkan suara.

Di Australia, perilaku pemilih banyak dibentuk oleh sejumlah masalah seperti manajemen ekonomi, pengangguran, hubungan industri, perpajakan, pendidikan, kesehatan, lingkungan, pemanasan global, pengungsi dan pencari suaka.

Masalah pengelolaan ekonomi dan kesehatan adalah masalah yang paling penting di Pemilu Australia 2016.

Pemilih Australia juga mengkhawatirkan ketidakstabilan politik Australia. Sebelum 2010, orang Australia cenderung percaya bahwa mereka pada dasarnya memilih perdana menteri mereka dengan memilih partai politik pilihan mereka. Namun, setelah enam kali pergantian Perdana Menteri sejak 2010, perilaku pemilih Australia bergeser dan mengantisipasi pencabutan perdana menteri sebagai sesuatu yang mungkin dapat terjadi.

Di Indonesia, perilaku memilih agak dipengaruhi oleh tiga faktor: agama, etnis dan semangat kedaerahan, dan kelas sosial.

Sebagai negara dengan mayoritas Muslim terbesar, sebagian besar taktik dari kedua kubu calon presiden di Indonesia adalah membangun aliansi dengan kelompok-kelompok Islam dan mempromosikan simbol dan ritual Islam.

Pekan lalu, sekelompok ulama Islam terkenal menyatakan dukungan mereka kepada Prabowo Subianto. Ustad Abdul Somad, misalnya, salah satu pengkhotbah Islam Indonesia yang paling terkenal dengan 8,8 juta pengikut di Instagram dan 1,2 juta pelanggan di Youtube, menyatakan dukungannya melalui wawancara 13 menit dengan Prabowo, yang disiarkan di televisi nasional.

Di pihak Jokowi, para ulama Islam lainnya seperti Maimun Zubair dan Luthfi bin Yahya mempersembahkan sorban dan tasbih untuk Jokowisebagai tanda dukungan. Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), organisasi Islam terbesar, telah secara terbuka menyatakan dukungannya kepada Jokowi, karena calon wakil presidennya, Ma’ruf Amin, juga merupakan salah satu pengkhotbah Islam terkemuka dari NU.

Politik identitas sebagai kartu truf terakhir di Indonesia tidak bisa dihindari. Saat ini, jajak pendapat menunjukkan bahwa Jokowi memimpin. Kita akan lihat bagaimana kelanjutannya.

Indonesia is one of Australia’s largest trading partners, and there are many different organizations and programs that are based on improving relations between these two countries in all fields, from tourism to trade. There are many benefits of those efforts, and if you’re interested in learning more about the connection between these countries, here are some things you should know about.

Why this relationship is so important

Indonesia has a much bigger population than Australia, but its economy is not nearly as developed, which is one of the reasons why Indonesians value their relations with Australia. Of course, there are some differences in cultures and laws, but there’s a lot of effort put into mutual understanding, as well. Also, when it comes to innovation, strengthening the countries’ cooperation in the fields of business and education is essential. It can create amazing outcomes if done right, and both countries are aiming for such outcomes. Moreover, the more these countries do in terms of trade and investment, the better they’ll understand each other, which can only lead to more engagement and better cooperation. In short, the connection between the countries allows both of them to develop and provide their citizens with more opportunities.

Trade

Australia’s main export to Indonesia is livestock, but it also exports wheat, aluminum, and cotton. Indonesia, on the other hand, mostly exports, gold, steel, iron, and crude and refined petroleum. A great factor when it comes to trade is the proximity between the two countries, which reduces the shipping costs. Also, Indonesia has a law that states it can only import cattle from countries that are free from mouth and feet disease, which is one more reason why Australia is its main source. Moreover, the countries have recently signed a free trade deal, which benefits both countries. For example, it allows Australian-owned universities to operate in Indonesia, and it allows Indonesians to take part in work-training courses in Australia.

Education

In terms of education, there are curricula in Australia that focus on learning languages other than English, including Indonesian. The same curricula also deal with intercultural understanding and Australia’s engagement with Asia. So, it’s safe to say that Australia is putting an effort into reshaping the school programs and creating more culturally aware generations.

Moreover, there is also the federal government’s New Colombo Plan (NCP), which provides support for university students who wish to visit Asia through short-term programs, like business internships or language studies. Additionally, there are girls scholarships in Australia that help girls from underprivileged families get the equipment and tutoring they need in order to advance in their education. Furthermore, there are many scholarships available to students in Indonesia if they choose to study in Australia. For example, there is Australia APEC Women in Research Fellowship and Australia Awards. All in all, both Australia and Indonesia are doing their best to provide their students with both the education they need and more choices in terms of career paths.

Aid

Indonesia has been the largest recipient of Australian aid for a while, and there are many aid programs in the country. For example, after the tsunami in 2004, the countries created the Australia-Indonesia Partnership for Reconstruction and Development. Its main purpose was to help people rebuild their homes and help promote the economic growth in the country, in general. Similarly, in 2008, Australia helped the Indonesian economy during the global financial crisis. Australia has also helped Indonesia with infrastructure and sustainable development.

Tourism

Tourism is quite developed in both countries, and they are each other’s popular tourist destinations. Besides people going on vacations, there are also many people traveling from one country to another to visit their friends and relatives. Moreover, there is a transport safety partnership between the two countries, and it covers all transport options. Finally, both countries have invested and continue to invest in the training of pilots, air traffic managers, and the ability to investigate transport accidents when they do happen.

Australia and Indonesia are very connected in many different ways and fields. Of course, while there are still things that both countries can do to improve and strengthen the relations between them, there are already many benefits that people living in both countries can experience.

            Minggu ini bergabung bersama kita Presiden AIYA Chapter NSW, Febe Amelia Haryanto, yang juga merupakan peraih Beasiswa Australia Awards tahun 2017. Febe yang tengah menyelesaikan studi tahun akhirnya, memaksimalkan waktu yang tersisa untuk berbagi mengenai pengalamannya kepada para pendaftar Indonesia sebelum pendaftaran beasiswa Australia Awards ditutup pada 30 April 2019. Melalui sesi Q&A ini, Febe membagikan wawasannya mengenai beasiswa ini melalui pengalaman pribadinya, yuk cari tahu!

Mengenai Australian Awards Scholarships (AAS): merupakan beasiswa yang diberikan oleh Departemen Luar Negeri dan Perdagangan kepada para para pelajar dari negara-negara yang memiliki hubungan bilateral dan mitra kerja dengan pemerintah Australia. AAS menyediakan kesempatan kepada para pelajar untuk meneruskan studi sarjana dan pasca-sarjana di univeristas-universitas Australia yang berpartisipasi serta institusi pendidikan lainnya seperti Technical and Further Education (TAFE). Lengkapnya dapat dibaca di sini.

Welcome back to Member Spotlight learn more about the lives of those behind AIYA. This week, we introduce you to AIYA Yogyakarta Sports Officer, Anggara Tegar!

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