Kisah nyata dari korban krisis iklim di Subang, Jawa Barat, menggema di panggung global. Hal ini disampaikan oleh Hadi mewakili Sawit Watch dalam sebuah konferensi iklim dunia Perserikatan Bangsa-Bangsa (PBB) yaitu Conference of the Parties (COP) ke-30 yang diselenggarakan di Belem, Brazil pada Kamis, 13 November 2025 lalu.
Ia menyampaikan bahwa kondisi pesisir Pantai Utara Kab. Subang yang semakin memburuk. “Janji pendanaan iklim jangan hanya janji semata, perlu diimplementasikan hingga ke mereka yang terdampak dan menjaga hutannya. Saya mengunjungi daerah itu minggu lalu, kondisi yang mereka alami itu sangat memprihatinkan. Masyarakat harus hidup dalam bayang-bayang kekhawatiran, kata Hadi.
Banjir rob, atau pasang air laut, menjadi rutinitas sehari-hari di Desa Legon Wetan dan Pangarengan, di Kab. Subang, setidaknya hampir seminggu belakangan. Rumah-rumah warga terendam oleh air laut selama tiga hingga lima jam setiap harinya. Kondisi ini semakin para pada musim hujan seperti saat ini. Warga tak punya pilihan selain bertahan di dalam rumah, mereka berupaya melindungi harta benda mereka agar tidak hanyut terbawa air laut.
Dampak krisis iklim ini jauh melampaui dari sekedar genangan air. Selain pemukiman, jalan-jalan utama desa, fasilitas umum dan sosial seperti masjid, sekolah dan kantor desa pun turut terendam. Ini sangat mempengaruhi aktivitas sehari-hari warga, termasuk transportasi, beribadah bahkan petani dan nelayan yang harus kehilangan pendapatan.
Lebih parah lagi, tanah pertanian yang sehari-hari ditanami padi harus tergenang oleh masuknya (intrusi) air laut. Di Kecamatan Legon Wetan, sekitar 70 hektare sawah di daerah itu tidak lagi dapat digunakan. Akses air bersih untuk kehidupan sehari-hari pun terganggu. Mereka mengandalkan air kemasan dan galon untuk digunakan makan dan minum.
Tuntutan untuk Aksi Nyata
Ironisnya, dukungan komunitas sangat terbatas saat terjadi krisis nyata. Bantuan yang datang seringkali gagal mengatasi akar masalah. Hadi menekankan bahwa banyak inisiatif yang hanya bersifat “simbolis atau seremonial”, menawarkan bantuan jangka pendek tanpa solusi berkelanjutan. Atau bahkan bantuan yang diberikan tidak sesuai dengan apa yang diharapkan. Padahal, orang-orang membutuhkan dukungan nyata seperti pembangunan fisik tembok laut (sea walls), tanggul, pemecah gelombang (breakwaters), dan pemulihan mangrove untuk membangun pertahanan alami.
Konsep ReCoSuM—Restoration, Conservation, and Sustainable Use Management—diinisiasi oleh Sawit Watch bersama Badan Riset dan Inovasi Nasional (BRIN) untuk menjawab kebutuhan ini. Tujuan konsep ini adalah untuk memulihkan ekosistem, meningkatkan ketahanan pesisir, dan mengelola wilayah secara berkelanjutan. Praktek ini telah di uji cobakan ini Pantai Utara Kab, Subang. Masyarakat dalam kelompok juga telah melakukan upayan penanaman mangrove disejumlah wilayah. Namun implementasi dari konsep ini masih terkendala dukungan teknis, sehingga tidak maksimal.
Komitmen pendanaan iklim dari Negara Maju atau Global North bukanlah soal amal, ini adalah soal keadilan dan tanggung jawab. Bukan lagi janji, tapi aksi nyata. Cerita dari Subang diharapkan dapat sampai dan didengar oleh para pemimpin dunia di Belém. Masyarakat di Subang sudah siap untuk bertindak, tetapi mereka membutuhkan dukungan yang nyata. Pertanyaannya bukan lagi ‘apakah’ negara maju akan membayarnya, tapi ‘kapan’?. Dan jawaban kita harus: Hari ini!
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The Cries of the Pantura Subang Community Reverberated at COP30:”Climate Finance Is Not Charity, But Justice”
The true story of a climate crisis victim in Subang, West Java, has resonated on the global stage. This message was conveyed by Hadi, representing Sawit Watch, at the 30th United Nations (UN) climate conference, the Conference of the Parties (COP), held in Belem, Brazil, on Thursday, November 13, 2025.
He noted the worsening condition of the northern coast of Subang Regency. “Climate funding promises shouldn’t just be promises; they need to be implemented, reaching those affected and protecting their forests. I visited the area last week, and the conditions they are experiencing are truly concerning. “The community is living in constant fear,” Hadi stated.
Robb flooding, or high sea levels, has become a daily occurrence in Legon Wetan and Pangarengan villages, in Subang Regency, for at least the past week. Seawater submerges residents’ homes for three to five hours every day. The current rainy season exacerbates this situation. Residents have no choice but to stay indoors, trying to protect their belongings from being swept away by the seawater.
The impact of this climate crisis goes far beyond mere flooding. Apart from residential areas, the flooding has also submerged main village roads and public and social facilities like mosques, schools, and village offices. This has significantly impacted residents’ daily activities, including transportation, worship, and even the loss of income for farmers and fishermen.
Even worse, agricultural land used for rice cultivation has been inundated by seawater intrusion. The seawater intrusion has rendered approximately 70 hectares of rice fields in Legon Wetan District unusable. Seawater intrusion has also disrupted access to clean water for daily living. Residents rely on bottled and gallon water for food and drinking.
Demands for Real Action
Ironically, when a real crisis arises, community support is extremely limited. The aid that arrives often fails to address the root causes. Hadi emphasized that many initiatives are merely “symbolic or ceremonial,” offering short-term relief without sustainable solutions. Or, the assistance provided does not even meet expectations. However, people need real support, such as the physical construction of seawalls, embankments, breakwaters, and mangrove restoration to build natural defenses.
The ReCoSuM concept—Restoration, Conservation, and Sustainable Use Management—was initiated by Sawit Watch and the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) to address this need. The goal of this concept is to restore ecosystems, increase coastal resilience, and manage areas sustainably. The North Coast of Subang Regency has piloted this practice. Community groups have also planted mangroves in several areas. However, a lack of technical support still hinders the implementation of this concept, leading to suboptimal results.
Climate funding commitments from developed countries, or the Global North, are not about charity; they are about justice and responsibility. They are no longer promises but real action. We hope that world leaders in Belém will hear the stories from Subang. The people of Subang are prepared to take action, yet they require genuine assistance. The question is no longer whether developed countries will pay, but when. And our answer must be: Today!