Indonesia's New Capital Nusantara: A Green Utopia or Greenwashed Spectacle?

Indonesia is building a new capital city, Nusantara, in East Kalimantan, Borneo, to replace the sinking Jakarta. The project, masterplanned by Urban+ after winning a 2019 government competition, is projected to cost US$34 billion and cover 2,560 km². The first phase, a 6,000ha Government Central Area, was scheduled for completion by February 2024, with Independence Day celebrations planned at the new presidential palace on 17 August. The relocation, to be completed in five phases by 2045, aims to move 100,000 state employees by 2029 and reach a population of 1.7–1.9 million by 2045. President Joko Widodo frames Nusantara as a symbol of Indonesia-centric development, moving away from Java-centric growth. However, critics highlight forced displacement of an estimated 20,000 indigenous people, potential environmental damage to Borneo's rainforest and orangutan habitats, and oligarchic interests in land concessions. The city's design, by Urban+ director Sibarani Sofian, combines Western axial planning with pre-Islamic Javanese cosmology, using the tagline 'nagara rimba nusa' (city forest islands). Only one-fifth of initial funding comes from the state; the rest relies on investors, despite a 2019 survey showing 95.7% of Jakarta residents opposed the move. The government cites Brasilia as a model, but urban geographers warn of greenwashing and failure, pointing to underperforming eco-cities like Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-city and Masdar City.