BRIN Pushes Green Skills for Society 5.0: What Are They?

The Director General of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Arif Satria, has called for Indonesian citizens to acquire environmentally friendly or "green" skills to address ecological challenges in the Society 5.0 era. The Society 5.0 concept, proposed by Japan's Cabinet Office in 2016, envisions a human-centered super-smart society where technology benefits human well-being and addresses social issues.

Satria highlighted the dual pillars of humanity and ecosystem sustainability in future civilization, emphasizing that green skills are not only crucial for academic research but also for the private sector. Wildlife conservation, particularly the protection of endangered species like the Sumatran rhinoceros, serves as a prime example of the application of these skills.

With only about 50 individuals remaining in the wild, traditional conservation methods are no longer sufficient. Instead, advanced technologies such as Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) have been developed and implemented successfully in Kenya.

Encouraging researchers to draw inspiration from nature's mechanics, Satria advocated for biomimicry, a practice that takes cues from natural principles like diversity, interdependence, and interconnectedness. He noted that nature has already demonstrated its solutions to coexistence, and its philosophy and characteristics can guide social interactions and structural arrangements.

The blue economy framework, which encourages human systems to learn from nature, was also cited as a source of innovation. Satria urged the creation of research that adapts to natural ecosystems, emphasizing that the way nature operates should be a driving force for innovation.