Jakarta, Sept. 18 -- Sustainability efforts should not be seen as a burden for businesses but as the foundation of the industry's future, according to a senior Indonesian environment official.

"It is a primary requirement for industry to survive in the future. Growth without sustainability is impossible," Deputy Minister of Environment Diaz Hendropriyono said in a statement on Thursday.

Speaking at the 2025 Environmental and Social Innovation Awards (ENSIA) in Jakarta on September 16, he noted that today's main challenge for business leaders is balancing economic growth with sustainability.

"If we continue business as usual, by 2050, about 2,000 islands in Indonesia could be submerged due to rising sea levels," he warned, adding that g...