How long does it take to reach Bogor City from Jakarta? The answer varies depending on the time of day. Located about 53 km south of Jakarta, Bogor City is supposedly accessible from Indonesia’s capital by one hour or less of car travel. However, due to the high mobility of residents coupled with a limited alternative road network and insufficient capacity of public transportation, travel time can take twice as long. The transport sector is identified as one of the main challenges faced by Bogor City according to its Regional Development and Planning Agency (BAPPEDA).

From an economic viewpoint, traffic congestion causes monetary losses and contributes to inefficiencies in service delivery and performance. And from an environmental perspective, the transport sector is one of the major contributors of greenhouse gas emissions. Tailpipe emissions resulting from fuel combustion contribute to increased greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere.

Owing to its strategic location and picturesque landscape, botanical garden and mountain resorts, Bogor City attracts Jakarta’s more affluent citizens to reside in the city while maintaining employment in the capital. This pattern, coupled with its desire to boost local tourism, is influencing the city’s development, particularly in terms of mobility. Transport and energy use, waste generation and land use are also expected to change.

This ‘Inside story on climate compatible development‘ from the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) looks at how, since 2013, the Urban Low Emission Development Strategies (Urban-LEDS) project has offered Bogor City an opportunity to integrate low-carbon strategies not just in the transport sector but in its local development plans, supporting the city’s vision of adopting sustainability to transform Bogor into a more liveable city. The project introduced ICLEI’s GreenClimateCities framework, using the analyze– act–accelerate model to offer customized guidance to Bogor City. Within 2.5 years of continuous engagement and capacity building, and numerous exchange visits with other participating countries, Bogor City’s low-carbon plan has been developed and is now ready to move towards implementation.

Download the case study here.