Summary: It's been predicted that within 16 years, Indonesia's capital city of Jakarta could sink up to 15 feet, leading to catastrophic flooding of the area. This devastating possibility is a direct result of the lack of clean drinking water available from the city's many rivers, which has caused area residents to pump excessive amounts of ground water, leading to massive drops in the land levels. In an effort to mitigate damage and prevent disaster, work is being done to clean up Jakarta's water supply and restore the habitat. A Sustainability Lab team from MIT Sloan was among those who traveled to Jakarta to provide insights on watershed management and insuring clean water. Team member Ian Lavery, MBA '10, talks about the challenge of merging environmental management and economic priorities, and the value of system dynamics.
