Land of the dragons- Labuan Bajo

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Labuanbajo is the number one location for tourism infrastructure development budget for the entire country.  Considered by many in the government to be the “new Bali” because of its tourism potential. Growth is expected to rise 900% from 55,000 tourist p/y in 2013 to 500,000 in 2019. This is due not only to its proximity to Komodo National Park another Unesco Heritage site,  but also its attraction as a top dive. This attractiveness is a result of the biodiversity of the oceanic species in the area which is higher than anywhere else on the planet. According Unesco, “The region is identified as a global conservation priority area, comprising unparalleled terrestrial and marine ecosystems.”

While the attractiveness is what has created the growth of tourism in the area. This same tourism has resulted in environmental degradation which is threatening to disrupt the very delicate equilibrium of the region’s ecosystems. Because of this, it is imperative, that while the local community plans its infrastructural expansion, it is done with consideration of how it will affect the environment.

The project aims to develop a  W-T-E plant and supportive waste management infrastructure to help mitigate the socio-environmental degradation caused by current and future tourism. In addition the project will cover the development of reinvestment strategies aimed at marine preservation and reef restoration.  

Project Scope: 2000 Residents and 150,000 visitors per year

Activity: Access to energy, technical and business training, infrastructure development, reinvestment support

Output: 2-3  MW MSW and biomass gasification power plant, reef restoration, sustainable fisheries

Outcome: Access to sustainable energy, higher income labour development for local population, new employment and business opportunities, reduced CO2 emissions, environmental restoration and preservation

Impact: Sustainable energy production, improved socio-economic integration and community livelihood, reduced poverty through new employment and business opportunities enabled by access to electricity and subcontracting, development of a circular economic model.