Many Indonesian Citizens Believe the Environment of Small Islands Needs Protection

Kompas Research and Development surveyed public opinion on important aspects to protect in Indonesia's small islands.

The results show that the majority, or 52.2% of respondents, believe small islands need protection due to environmental sustainability and natural beauty.

Other aspects considered important to protect in small islands are the local culture (20.3%), economic potential (13%), and national sovereignty and security (11.8%).

Meanwhile, 2.7% of respondents believe that small islands do not require special protection.

This survey also found that 50% of respondents believe that Indonesia's small islands are unsuitable for mining and are better developed for tourism.

Furthermore, 25.4% of respondents stated that small islands are unsuitable for mining because it is prohibited by law.

"Ultimately, the public hopes that mining activities will not marginalize aspects of justice, while still paying attention to the culture and sustainable livelihoods of indigenous communities as part of the territory that is also Indonesia's wealth," said a Kompas Research and Development researcher in their report on Monday (7/7/2025).

This survey involved 512 respondents from 72 cities in 38 provinces, randomly selected according to the population proportion in each province.

Data collection was conducted from June 16-19, 2025, through telephone interviews. The survey's margin of error is approximately 4.25% with a 95% confidence level, under conditions of simple random sampling.