Climate change could submerge coastal communities in Indonesia

Jakarta_(dpa) _ Indonesia, the world's largest archipelago nation, will be acutely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, including droughts and floods that will affect health and food security in coastal areas, a report released Monday said.

The report, sponsored by the World Bank and the British government's development arm, also warns of rising sea levels that could completely submerse entire islands and inundate coastal villages that depend on farming.

In West Java province's Karawang region, the report said, communities would face huge reductions in local rice supplies and the loss of annual fish and prawn production could be more than 7,000 tons.

"All sectors in the government and public need to take into account the issue of climate change in policymaking from the conceptual level," Ir Sulistyowati MM, assistant deputy minister for climate change impact control, during the report's release ahead of World Environment Day on Tuesday.

"If Indonesia wants to deal with climate change, it needs participation from everyone, not only from environmentalists," Sulistyowati said.

The report was written by Indonesia's Pelangi Energi Abadi Citra Enviro (PEACE) in preparation for a large international conference on the resort island of Bali in December. dpa jc pw