Indonesian islanders plant mangroves, seek justice as seas rise
Excerpt from context.news PARI ISLAND, Indonesia - Under the scorching midday sun, Asmania and several women from Indonesia's Pari Island walk toward Rengge Beach, a shoreline slowly receding from the rising sea, to plant dozens of young mangrove seedlings. The Women's Group of Pari Island hopes the mangroves, which also absorb planet-heating greenhouse gas emissions, will protect the coastline from worsening tidal floods, rising sea levels and stronger waves. "The sea is not like it used to be. It's hotter, rougher, and it scares us," said Asmania, a mother of three, as she dug with her hands into the sand beneath the shallow sea. Home to just 1,000 residents, Pari Island near the capital Jakarta is at the centre of a globally significant court case over the impact of climate change on its beaches. Asmania, who goes by a single name, and three other residents sued cement giant Holcim in Switzerland in 2023, accusing it of failing to cut emissions as their island faced repeated floods. Cement production contributes about 7% of the world's total carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, according to the Global Cement and Concrete Association. A court in the town of Zug, where Holcim has its headquarters, has not yet ruled on whether to hear the case.
