HARIANEXPRESS – Indonesia has launched the Knowledge, Assessment & Targeted Action for Local Implementation and Solutions for Heat-Health (KATALIS-HEAT) program. This initiative aims to address the significant health threats posed by extreme hot weather.
The Ministry of Health, along with the WHO Asia–Pacific Centre for Environment and Health in the Western Pacific Region (ACE) and WHO Indonesia, officially launched KATALIS-HEAT. The program commenced on July 8–9, 2026, as a strategic step to combat rising temperatures.
This initiative seeks a comprehensive understanding of heat impacts across Indonesia and fosters cross-sectoral actions at various government levels. The primary goal is to enhance preparedness and response to extreme heat, recognized as one of the world’s deadliest climate-related threats.
Extreme hot weather profoundly affects the global population’s health, including in Indonesia. As a member of the WHO Western Pacific Region, Indonesia is dedicated to reducing preventable illnesses and fatalities caused by heat.
Despite Indonesia’s increasing vulnerability to extreme heat, detailed health impact information remains limited. This data gap hinders the development of targeted, evidence-based responses and effective adaptation strategies.
The launch of KATALIS-HEAT brought together key partners such as the Global Heat Health Information Network (GHHIN) Southeast Asia Hub, the Ministry of Environment, and the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG). This collaboration strengthens national efforts in addressing climatic challenges.
Universitas Indonesia, Universitas Hasanuddin, and Universitas Diponegoro are serving as local implementation partners for the program. Their collective expertise will significantly boost future heat-related health initiatives.
KATALIS-HEAT is specifically designed to build a holistic understanding of heat’s health effects. It also promotes cross-sectoral and multi-level governmental readiness and response to extreme heat events.
The program aligns with the National Climate Change Adaptation Plan 2026-2030, which identifies heat exposure as a major climate risk for Indonesia. This plan indicates an average temperature increase of approximately 0.81 °C between 1991–2020.
Projections suggest a further increase of +1.0 °C to +1.5 °C by 2050. The frequency of hot-day events is expected to double by 2050.
Warm-night events could triple by 2100, exacerbating extreme heat exposure due to factors like increased urbanization. These environmental shifts highlight the urgent need for robust adaptive measures.
The current year’s KATALIS-HEAT project focuses on several core activities. These include a comprehensive landscape study to integrate heat-related evidence and actions, and local impact analysis.
It also involves pilot testing district/city-level heat-health action planning and national policy dialogues. These efforts are crucial for developing a heat-health action roadmap for Indonesia.
The successful implementation of the KATALIS-HEAT project is made possible through the generous support of the Rockefeller Foundation. This funding underscores the global commitment to tackling climate-related health challenges.
