Surabaya, Indonesia’s second-largest city, has been awarded the “Adipura Kencana Award” for eight consecutive years and is highly recognized as one of the cleanest cities in the country. Thanks to the cooperation of local residents and the advanced initiatives of the city government, Surabaya has succeeded in waste management and urban beautification. Its example serves as a model for other municipalities.

Introduction

As environmental issues become increasingly severe, sustainable waste management in each city and raising public awareness are becoming ever more important. This article introduces how the City of Surabaya in Indonesia has achieved consecutive recognition through the national environmental awards system known as the “Adipura Award,” highlighting specific projects and mechanisms for citizen participation.

Surabaya: A “Clean City” by the Numbers

Surabaya Wins the Adipura Kencana Award for Eight Consecutive Years

The City of Surabaya was awarded the Adipura Kencana (Gold Adipura) Award in the Metropolitan category in 2023. This marks the eighth consecutive year that Surabaya has received this honor.

The Adipura Award is an environmental recognition system established by Indonesia’s Ministry of Environment and Forestry to encourage and evaluate initiatives in environmental conservation and urban beautification at the regency and city levels. Defined under the Ministerial Regulation of 2019, recipient cities are selected by the Minister of Environment and Forestry based on reports from an evaluation team. The Adipura Kencana represents the gold-level, highest distinction within the Adipura Award system.

Adipura Award Recipients (2023)

Adipura Kencana Award (Gold)

• Metropolitan Category: Surabaya City, East Java Province
• Large City Category: Balikpapan City, East Kalimantan Province

Adipura Award

• Metropolitan Category: Central Jakarta City, South Jakarta City, West Jakarta City, North Jakarta City, Medan City (North Sumatra Province), East Jakarta City
• Large City Category: Malang City (East Java), Bogor City (West Java), Surakarta City (Central Java), Jambi City (Jambi Province)

References:

• Kompas.com: “5 Cities Win Adipura Kencana 2023, Here’s the List”
• IDN Times: “List of 2023 Adipura Award Recipients – DKI Jakarta Dominates the Honors”

Evaluation Criteria of the Adipura Award

The Adipura Award evaluates the following key points:

1. Waste Management Performance

• Waste Reduction: Reduction and reuse of waste
• Waste Treatment: Segregation, collection, transportation, treatment, and final disposal

1. Final Disposal Site Performance
2. Green Space Performance

• Area coverage, distribution and shading capacity, maintenance status, and plant diversity

Surabaya is home to Indonesia’s first waste-to-energy facility, the Benowo Final Disposal Site. The city has also implemented a Central Waste Bank (Bank Induk Sampah), established localized community waste banks, built waste separation stations in each neighborhood association (RW), and expanded temporary waste stations that promote the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle). Additionally, citizen-led clean-up campaigns have encouraged a transformation in public attitudes and behaviors.

References:

• Pemerintah Kota Surabaya: “Surabaya Wins Eighth Adipura Kencana Award, Mayor Eri Highlights Key Evaluation Indicators”
• JDIH Kemenko: “Regulation of the Minister of Environment and Forestry No. P.76/MENLHK/SETJEN/KUM.1/10/2019 (Year 2019)”

Surabaya’s Urban Beautification Projects

ProKlim (Climate Village Program)

The Climate Village Program is a national initiative led by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry to recognize and reward environmental preservation efforts at the neighborhood association (RW) level. In 2024, Surabaya saw the highest number of award-winning RWs in the country, with 23 neighborhoods receiving accolades. Among them, two were honored with the highest distinction—the “Sustainable Climate Village Trophy Award.” Furthermore, the City of Surabaya itself received the “ProKlim Leadership Award” for the second consecutive year.

Reference: Pemerintah Kota Surabaya: “Surabaya, the Only City in Indonesia to Receive 23 Awards in the Climate Village Program”

Lomba Kampung Surabaya Hebat (Surabaya Outstanding Village Contest)

This contest is a program led by the Environmental Agency of Surabaya City, aimed at evaluating resident-led environmental and community contribution activities on an RW-by-RW basis. In 2023, approximately 1,360 RWs participated, and after a rigorous evaluation process, 75 “Outstanding Villages” were selected.

As a result of this program, Surabaya has reduced its daily waste by approximately 4 to 5 tons.

Lomba Bank Sampah (Waste Bank Contest)

Also organized by the Environmental Agency of Surabaya City, this contest assesses how effectively each neighborhood utilizes its local waste bank. In 2023, 592 RWs took part in the contest.

Through this initiative, Surabaya has reduced its daily waste by about 9 tons.

Reference: Pemerintah Kota Surabaya: “Lomba Kampung Surabaya Hebat Successfully Reduces Waste by 5 Tons Per Day”

RW Zero Waste Project

The RW Zero Waste Project is a city initiative in which each household in a neighborhood separates its waste, which is then tracked by a management system that records the amount delivered to waste banks and temporary collection points. Surabaya has set a target of transforming 500 RWs into “zero waste” neighborhoods by 2025.

Reference: Pemerintah Kota Surabaya: “Mayor Eri Cahyadi Urges Surabaya DLH to Establish RW Zero Waste for Household Waste Management”

A Visual Look at “Clean City” Surabaya

Indonesia’s First Waste-to-Energy Plant

Watch the video

The Benowo Final Disposal Site began operating as Indonesia’s first waste-to-energy facility in 2021. Currently, of the approximately 1,600 tons of waste delivered to the site each day, around 1,000 tons are processed as an energy source.

The power plant’s maximum output is 12 megawatts (MW) per hour. Of this, 9 MW are supplied to Indonesia’s state-owned electricity company, PLN, while the remainder is used to operate municipal facilities in Surabaya.

In addition to the power plant, the Benowo site includes environmental infrastructure such as a sewage treatment plant with an Advanced Oxidation Process (AOP) system, truck scales monitored by independent agencies, and more than 40 hectares of greenbelt area. The Indonesian government views Benowo as a model and aims to construct similar facilities nationwide.

Reference: Kementerian Pekerjaan Umum RI: “Visiting TPA Benowo with Coordinating Minister AHY, Deputy Minister Diana Commends Energy-Based Waste Management Model”

Surabaya’s Well-Maintained Sidewalks

Watch the video

This video showcases a sidewalk in the city of Surabaya.

In many parts of Indonesia, it is common to see sidewalks left unrepaired, obstructed by food stalls or illegally parked motorcycles, and littered with trash. Therefore, a sidewalk where no trash is present, tiles are intact, and no potholes are visible is considered a rare sight.

For over a decade, the City of Surabaya has actively pursued not only environmental conservation but also urban beautification. As infrastructure improved and the city government implemented various initiatives, citizens’ attitudes began to change. These efforts have culminated in the emergence of “Clean City Surabaya,” which is well deserving of its eight consecutive Adipura Kencana awards.

Clean Policies That Citizens Can Feel

Surabaya’s environmental policies are characterized not only by the development of waste treatment infrastructure and systems, but also by a multilayered approach centered on citizen participation. The city’s progressive initiatives have drawn the attention of relevant Indonesian ministries, which aim to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060.

It is precisely because the city’s efforts to create a “clean and livable urban environment” are producing tangible results that the citizens can appreciate, that Surabaya is able to maintain its cleanliness.