Depok, April 7, 2026 — The Faculty of Administrative Sciences at Universitas Indonesia (FIA UI) organized a public lecture titled “The Role of Data in Environmental Policymaking in the Global South: Barriers and Opportunities” at the EDISI 2020 Auditorium, Building M. This event was part of FIA UI’s efforts to strengthen academic discourse on the role of data and information in global environmental governance.

In her presentation, Prof. Maria Brockhaus emphasized that data and information play a strategic role as agents of change in the policymaking process. However, she underlined that data is not neutral, but rather a social construct shaped by objectives, definitions, and the actors involved in its collection and presentation. Therefore, understanding the social and political dimensions of data production is essential to generate policies that are effective, efficient, and equitable.

Furthermore, she explained that numbers and data are crucial in building public trust, evaluating policies, and serving as a foundation for agenda setting and decision-making. Nevertheless, there are several challenges in the use of data, including potential bias in publication, limited transparency in calculation processes (black box), and the tendency to use data to support particular interests. This condition shows that data functions not only as a technical tool but also carries a political dimension that must be carefully considered.

In the context of environmental policy, particularly in the Global South, Prof. Maria highlighted forestry as a complex arena involving overlapping interests, ranging from economic and development aspects to environmental sustainability. She pointed out that these dynamics are also influenced by historical legacies and unequal power relations among actors, which ultimately affect policy directions.

Through the case study of the REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) scheme, she demonstrated that the implementation of data-driven policies does not always run optimally. Various criticisms have emerged, including the lack of local community involvement, the dominance of major actors, and potential bias in definitions and measurements used. In addition, challenges remain in aligning drivers of change with policy implementation in practice, including issues related to incentive structures and entrenched institutional practices.

Prof. Maria also emphasized the importance of a multidimensional approach in understanding the role of data in policymaking, one of which is the 4I analytical framework that includes institutions, actor interests, ideas, and information. This approach is considered useful in identifying factors that influence the production and use of data in public policy.

In closing, she stressed that while advancements in data and technology can support better policymaking processes, they do not automatically guarantee the creation of effective and just policies. Transparency in knowledge production and awareness of the political dimensions underlying data are key to fostering more accountable and integrity-driven governance.

Through this event, FIA UI hopes to enhance the critical understanding of the academic community, particularly students, regarding the role of data in public policy, while also encouraging academic contributions to address global environmental governance challenges.