City of Tomorrow: The New Capital City of Indonesia

The new Capital City of Indonesia, Nusantara (Ibu Kota Nusantara - IKN), is set to be inaugurated in August 2024 with celebrations of Indonesia’s national day. The state capital is expected to be a smart, sustainable, and resilient city. Technology, as an enabler of smart city development, will be utilized as a solution to tackle urban problems. For the well-being of societies, technological innovation must contribute to the development of a new model of social, economic, and environmental growth to make the capital city more modern and sustainable. The three main principles for the development of IKN will be the forest city, sponge city, and smart city concepts. Eight key performance indicators have been set up to achieve this development goal: building a city in tune with nature, easily accessed and connected, circular, resilient, safe, affordable, technologically friendly, and, especially, providing economic opportunities for everyone. As the chairman for Technology Transformation and Innovation, Nusantara Authority, let me share with you that IKN is a green city with an area of 256,142 hectares, where 65% of the area is dedicated to tropical forest, 10% to parks and food production, and the rest as urban areas with various zones of mixed use and neighborhoods. The green city will utilize many renewable resources, from green energy to urban air mobility. This means that the city has the potential to be carbon neutral, absorbing more CO2 than it emits. A sustainable approach is important to ensure the fulfillment of future needs by maintaining the ongoing viability of resources. The development of IKN represents both the nation’s identity and a tremendous opportunity to boost economic development and modernize infrastructure. IKN development will serve as the backbone of Indonesian economy generation, as it provides social and economic benefits to society. The development of the modern city of IKN will enable competitive advantages in the global economy and contribute to Indonesia’s economic and social growth. The master plan of IKN, through 1 MPP (1 Map-1 Plan-1 Policy), reflects the latest state-of-the art technology, focusing on innovation and creating an ecosystem that is expected to improve citizens’ quality of life. The use of digital technology, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), Big Data, and various latest technology tools will serve as the city’s development and operational system. Technology development and innovation will play a significant role, not only in developing a smart city as one of the solutions to urban challenges but also in creating a new model of future digitally connected urban management that is economically feasible, socially desirable, and environmentally sustainable. For example, IKN will have autonomous and electric vehicles as one mode of public transportation, offering mobility-as-a-service to citizens. The objective is to have safer, more efficient urban mobility, thereby eliminating congestion and GHG emissions and providing mobility to people with disabilities and special needs. IKN development aims to produce a resilient and sustainable city by improving city services from transportation, energy, and water resources to waste disposal and health services. The establishment of the smart city of IKN can improve the city’s ability to use natural resources efficiently, make public transportation more attractive, and provide data to decision makers for the appropriate allocation of resources. Investments in green technology, safer materials, and technological advances for utilizing renewable energy resources, building urban water systems and sustainable public infrastructure, and producing environmentally friendly products will provide pathways through which technology will significantly contribute to sustainable IKN development. The smart city will contribute to the formation of a high-quality, healthy, and regenerative built environment with an overall positive impact on citizens’ lives. IKN is also expected to focus on innovation and entrepreneurial environments to foster growth and investment to boost economic performance, as well as to improve citizens’ quality of life. Regional development will be facilitated to represent the nation’s progress and to serve as a catalyst for building and spreading centers of productivity and economic activity. IKN Nusantara is open to everyone—investors, manufacturers, researchers, thinkers, and supporters of innovation—to develop city ecosystems that are green, inclusive, smart, resilient, and sustainable. It will be an inclusive global city for all