Bogor, FPIK IPB – Responding to the increasingly complex challenges of the global environmental landscape, the Department of Aquatic Resources Management (MSP), Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences (FPIK), IPB University, successfully organized the Highland to Ocean Summer Course (H2O) from July 5–14, 2026, across Bogor, Cianjur, Bandung, Semarang, Demak, and Jakarta. Conducted in a hybrid format, the program was attended by 66 participants from 19 countries.

Under the overarching theme “The Role of Nature-Based Solutions in Supporting a Sustainable Blue Economy from Highland to Ocean,” the program emphasized that the concept of the Blue Economy is not merely an academic trend, but a key pillar in ensuring the sustainability of Indonesia’s aquatic resources.

The opening session of the Summer Course was particularly significant as it successfully brought together global discourse and local realities. Moderated by Dr. Bryan Raveen Nelson from the Institute of Tropical Biodiversity and Sustainable Development, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT), the session featured global maritime expert Prof. Raimund Bleischwitz from the Leibniz-ZMT Center for Tropical Marine Research and Professor at FPIK IPB University, Prof. Dr. Luky Adrianto.

For an archipelagic country like Indonesia, understanding the Blue Economy means developing an applicable framework to optimize aquatic resources without compromising ecological integrity. In his presentation entitled “Foundations and Perspectives for Sustainable Blue and Circular Economy,” Prof. Raimund Bleischwitz examined the triple crisis that calls for an integrated approach to coastal management, climate change mitigation, and biodiversity protection. The transformation toward a green and blue economy must be grounded in recognition of planetary boundaries.

Prof. Raimund also presented evidence of economic decoupling—a condition in which economic growth can go hand in hand with a reduction in environmental pressures. A case study from Germany demonstrated a significant decline in carbon emissions since 1980 without undermining economic stability. This provides a strong signal for Indonesia that resource efficiency and green technologies are key to achieving sustainable economic independence.

The macro-level challenges associated with planetary boundaries found practical applications through innovations such as mangrove restoration and Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA). Drawing on successful projects in Taiwan, IMTA demonstrates that aquaculture systems integrating multiple species within a single managed ecosystem can minimize waste while maximizing the efficiency of marine protein production. Meanwhile, mangrove restoration projects have recorded a benefit-cost ratio of 3:1. Investment in blue carbon can provide more stable economic benefits than conventional extractive business models, while also contributing to coastal protection and increased fisheries productivity.

Indonesia’s Blue Economy vision does not stop at the coastline; it extends deep into inland waters. The interconnected topography of rivers and lakes makes inland management an inseparable part of maintaining the health of marine ecosystems through a ridge-to-reef approach. IPB University inland water expert Dr. Taryono provided an in-depth analysis of the Citarum River Basin in West Java, which supplies 80% of Jakarta’s water needs and supports 7.5 million people.

Through the lens of the Blue Economy, the Citarum River Basin presents both strategic opportunities and critical challenges. Strategic opportunities include optimizing hydropower plants, floating solar panels, and water-based tourism across cascading reservoirs such as Ciloto, Saguling, and Cirata. At the same time, critical challenges include extensive urban pollution, the overcapacity of floating net cages that contributes to declining water quality, and upstream deforestation and land-use conversion that accelerate sedimentation and threaten the technical lifespan of reservoirs.

In response to these challenges, the H2O Summer Course 2026 encouraged a shift from sectoral research toward transdisciplinary approaches. One concrete initiative proposed was the establishment of a “Solutions Lab,” a collaborative platform designed to address policy implementation barriers by bringing together academics, government, and the private sector.

In closing, the program emphasized that the future of Indonesia’s aquatic resources lies in the hands of students and researchers who are willing to innovate. As highlighted during the program, “The Blue Economy is a bridge connecting water sovereignty in the highlands with prosperity in the ocean; our task through H2O 2026 is to ensure that this ridge-to-reef bridge remains strong so that we can pass on resilient aquatic resources to future generations of Indonesia.”