kelestarian

Kelestarian is an Indonesian term that denotes the state or quality of being sustainable or conserved. Derived from the adjective lestari, meaning enduring or durable, kelestarian (the noun) refers to preserving ecological balance while allowing human societies to meet present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs.

In practice, kelestarian encompasses environmental, economic, and social dimensions. It includes the conservation of ecosystems, biodiversity, forests, water resources, and soils; the sustainable use of natural resources; and the preservation of cultural heritage and traditional knowledge that contribute to long-term resilience and well-being.

Policy, planning, and everyday management use the notion of kelestarian to guide actions such as forest conservation, sustainable agriculture, watershed and water-resource management, renewable energy adoption, waste reduction, and climate-resilient development. The concept is closely aligned with sustainable development and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and it is applied at local, national, and regional levels.

Indicators of kelestarian include healthy ecosystems and biodiversity, sustained forest cover and soil health, clean water and air, low pollution loads, resilience to climate events, and equitable access to resources. Challenges to achieving kelestarian include population growth, development pressures, illegal exploitation, governance fragmentation, funding gaps, and climate change, requiring integrated governance, stakeholder participation, robust monitoring, and long-term investment.

See also: sustainability, conservation, sustainable development.