Sustainability in Bali

According to the U.N. 2005 World Summit Outcome Document sustainable development is comprised of three parts which are interdependent of each other: environmental sustainability, economic sustainability and sociopolitical sustainability.

In the case of the Bali, where both the land and way of life have been exposed for tourist consumption, the importance placed on culture is so high that sociopolitical – in particular cultural sustainability is something that has been a key focus before sustainability even became a buzz word. With the increasing demand for development and amidst the threats of globalization and terrorism, the government, NGO’s and various private firms, including those from the hospitality industry, have also started to recognize and address the need for environmental and economic sustainability.

Cultural Sustainability

Bali has been heralded as an exemplary case study for cultural sustainability, pointing to the unique Balinese concept of Tri Hita Karana which means harmony and balance among people, Gods, and environment as the reason why the Balinese have successfully managed to preserve their culture amidst the influx of commercialization, modernization and foreign influences.

As early as the 1970’s when Bali was just growing to be known as a tourist destination, the national government acted quickly and drew up a Tourism Master Plan which led to the development of a resort area (Nusa Dua) where tourists would be exposed to the Balinese culture while agricultural life across the island would continue. Initiatives such as the Bali Arts Festival were introduced to encourage Balinese people to appreciate their own culture. Guidelines were also drawn up which dictated which type of cultural performances could and could not be performed for tourists, with the sacred performances (wali) reserved for local devotees. Yet, the Balinese authorities recognized the importance of culture in drawing in tourists. In 1974, they legitimized the concept of cultural tourism (parawisata budaya) with the main aim of using Balinese culture to attract tourists and reap the benefits of tourism to enrich Balinese culture.

In the early 1990’s a joint project was undertaken by Canadian and Indonesian universities to come up with the Bali Sustainable Development Project. The result was a set of criteria for development that would serve as a guideline for authorities to gauge any development which included: ecological integrity, efficiency, equity, cultural integrity, community, integration-balance-harmony, and development as a realization of potential. Recommendations of the BSDP that related to tourism included:

(a) Cultural tourism should be key to development of tourism

(b) Balinese culture should have a prominent role

(c) Code of conduct should be distributed to visitors

(d) Collection of more information on tourists should be attempted

(e) Ecotourism and agro-tourism should be promoted

(f) A moratorium on hotel building should be put into effect

The inherent loyalty of the Balinese to their traditions and practices and the efforts of the Bali government has led to the resilience of Balinese culture with observers claiming in literature that tourism has not destroyed Balinese culture as it did in many other places. An example cited by Lietaer is that while in Hawaii, Tahiti, or Fiji, certain traditional dances are now only organized exclusively for tourists, only 200 out of 5,000 dance groups perform for tourists while the other 4,800 perform during temple time. Because of the idea of cultural tourism, some have even claimed that tourism has helped to promote, preserve, and define Balinese culture.

Environmental Sustainability

Though the Balinese worry about the preservation of their culture the most, they also face serious environmental problems including water shortage, deforestation, and land and sea pollution. In a National Geographic Traveler survey given in 2007, Bali scored low for green tourism, with a panelist claiming: “Bali is still an excellent destination… However, beaches are not good, and the environment is under threat from destruction of reefs and mangroves, linear development, salt water intrusion, etc.”

Today, various organizations and NGO’s work in partnership with the governments and business owners to address these issues and promote a sustainable development that preserves the natural beauty and richness that Bali has been known for. Just last December 2009, Bali has been selected by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation(UNWTO) for a pilot project to develop environmentally friendly tourism. At the local level, organizations such as the Wisnu Foundation, BaliFokus and Yayasan IDEP are at the forefront of Bali’s environmental projects. They are involved in projects in the following areas:

1. Land and water resource management and conservation

2. Coastal zone management

3. Pollution control

Here are some other projects carried out specific environmental concerns in the island:

Waste Management

According to BaliFokus , an NGO created to promote community based waste management, the national government only collects about 40% of solid waste. Today, the organization has carried out various projects such as developing a community-run waste management facility that employs about 40 local residents and introducing the concept of “Decentralized Solid Waste Management” - a plan to work with housewives to reduce the volume of waste taken to municipal dumpsites by minimizing household-level waste.

Source:BaliFokus Photo by Will Parrinello

Under the Temesi Waste Recovery Project spearheaded by the Rotary Club of Bali Ubud, a 2,400 sq.m waste facility was created that would help to turn organic waste into compost, reducing the amount of organic waste in the landfill and thereby reducing C02 emissions and extending the useful life of the Temesi landfill. There are plans to replicate the waste facility throughout Bali.

Compost tables at the Temesi compost facility Source: Rotary Club of Bali Ubud

With tourists leaving behind an average of 11 lb. (5 kg) of waste per person per day (10 times what the average Indonesian piles up!), hotels have also taken steps to address the solid waste problem in Bali. See Bianca’s detailed post to learn more about these efforts.

Water Pollution

Water pollution and sea water intrusion as a result of over digging of freshwater wells is also a major issue in the island. Several wastewater treatment projects have also been initiated in communities by the province’s Environmental Assessment Agency and NGO’s such as Seacology and the Indonesian Development of Education and Permaculture (Yayasan IDEP). A showcase project is the Water Palace at Tirtagangga where a Wastewater Garden ® sewage system was built to breakdown the waste water produced by tourists to produce a rich habitat for vegetation.

The wastewater garden in Tirtaganngga Bali, Indonesia Source: Seacology

Water Shortage

The biggest water consumer in Bali is the hospitality industry. According to the Indonesian Environment Organization (WALHI) one hotel room uses at least 3,000 liters a day, a golf course uses up to 3 million liters a day, while the community only uses 200 liters a day. This increasing demand for a decreasing supply has led to higher water taxes for the locals and has depleted supplies traditionally used for agriculture. Looking towards the hospitality industry for a solution, Bali’s governor has called on Bali hotels to begin converting salt water into fresh water to help alleviate the growing water crisis on the island. In partnership with the BTDC

Initiatives by the Tourism Industry

In recognition of the impact and dependence of the tourism industry to the environment, various projects and initiatives have been undertaken by the hospitality industry to take part in the preservation of Bali’s natural beauty. In 2000, the Bali Hotels Association cooperated with an NGO, The Wisnu Foundation, and other authorities to produce the first localised eco-rating guide for hotels in Bali (PROPER Hotel). The state-owned Bali Tourism Development Corporation, owners of Nasi Dua has recently achieved GG21 certification working with hotel operators to develop programs for waste management, waste water treatment, and conservation. Most major resort and hotel operators have also worked with NGOs and government bodies to carry out environmental programs such as tree planting campaigns with the Friends of the National Parks Foundation (FNPF). The Tri Hita Karana Tourism (THK) Tourism Awards was also established and awarded yearly to recognize the tourism industry’s efforts to incorporate the sustainable environmental principles and practices into their business, including the harmonious relationship between the hotels and community of surrounding residents.

Across the island, various eco-tourism sites have been developed such as the Bali Eco Adventure in Bayad Village in Bali’s highlands. Established with the active involvlement of the local community, the development seeks to minimize any negative impacts on the environment and local community, rewarding the endemic population for their careful stewardship of nature and cultural traditions.

Other conservation projects

There are various other environmental and conservation projects undertaken across Bali relating to sustainable development. The IDEP has mapped out a shortlist of these projects which can be found here:

http://www.idepfoundation.org/download_files/mapbali/bali_map_print_eng.pdf

Economic Sustainability

The development of tourism in Bali has dramatically changed the livelihood and economy of Bali. In 1971, the contribution of agriculture to the regional income was 59.1% but has since slumped to 19.81%. Tourism’s contribution, on the other hand, has increased from 33.4% to 62.35%. While tourism’s economic contribution to the island is apparent, it has also brought about an imbalance in wealth between the different regions of the island. Furthermore, the indigenous farming and fishing industries have suffered due to the negative impacts of development on land and sea as well as the drain of resources from locals who choose to sell their land or leave their villages because of better employment opportunities in the urban south.

In an effort to stop the outflow of human resources from the villages, organizations such as the GUS Bali have helped to develop eco-tourism and agro-tourism sites that provide jobs locally and develop the local’s skills while responsibly promoting the natural environment. Promotion of local goods and handicrafts has also been initiated by the local government particularly after the tourism industry suffered a blow after the Kuta bombings in 2005. From February to April 2006, a local TV station ran a non-commercial advertisement to promote local fruits for offerings, in an urgent call for the people to return to agriculture.

Perhaps the biggest program yet is the consolidation farm program launched by the agricultural sector of the government. According to I Gede Ambara Putra, head of the agriculture office the program focused on strengthening and integrating the agricultural sector, ranging from the improvement of irrigation infrastructure, technical assistance for farmers, to the distribution and marketing of the harvest yields.

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http://www.balihotelsassociation.com/programs/bha-environment/

http://www.travelmole.com/stories/1139701.php

Atmodjo, W. (2009, May 2). Bali is adopting a consolidation farm (CF) program on Subak Anggabaya . The Jakarta Post , p. 9.

Hitchcock, M., & Nyoman, D. P. (2007). Tourism, Development and Terrorism in Bali. England: Ashgate Publishing Ltd.

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Mowforth, M., & Munt, I. (1998). Tourism and sustainability: new tourism in the third world. London: Routledge.