Environmentalists, critics question Indonesia’s ‘green’ ambitions amid economic priorities

Indonesia’s reliance on industries that harm the environment, combined with a delayed climate plan, reflect a conflict between a push for economic development versus genuine action to reduce carbon emissions, critics and environmental advocates say. 

At this year’s United Nations climate talks in Azerbaijan (COP29), Jakarta presented a plan for reconciling economic growth with environmental responsibility. 

“Our vision includes reducing greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2060 or sooner while maintaining economic resilience,” Hashim Djojohadikusumo, Indonesia’s special envoy to COP29, told delegates in Baku earlier this month.

Hashim, the brother of new Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, highlighted plans to restore degraded forests, expand renewable energy, and enhance food security. 

“Our efforts require three key supporting factors: A comprehensive green economic growth policy framework that we are finalizing, a massive [U.S.] $235 billion investment, and international collaboration,” said Hashim, a tycoon whose Indonesian business interests include mining, energy and timber activities.

However, Indonesian environmental groups and analysts have expressed skepticism, saying the new government’s approach prioritizes economic growth and corporate interests over environmental integrity and social equity. 

Government officials did not immediately respond to BenarNews requests seeking comment on this issue.

Indonesia had planned to present its revised Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) – a key element of the Paris Agreement outlining targets for reducing emissions – at COP29. But this did not happen, raising concerns among environmental advocates.

Indonesia’s updated NDC is currently being finalized and will be submitted in February next year, the state-run Antara news agency quoted senior government adviser Hendra Yusran Siry as saying.

The postponement, critics say, reflects the Prabowo administration’s focus on achieving an ambitious 8% annual economic growth rate, a goal tied to industrial expansion and projects that include nickel mining and food plantations.

“Indonesia’s approach reflects weak leadership and insufficient ambition to combat the climate emergency,” said Torry Kuswardono, executive director of the Foundation for Strengthening Community Learning Circles (PIKUL), an Indonesian NGO. 

“The delay in submitting the NDC raises serious questions about the government’s commitment to addressing the climate crisis,” he told BenarNews.

In its latest NDC, in 2022, Jakarta pledged to further lower its greenhouse gas emissions to an unconditional target of 31.89% and a conditional target of 43.2%.

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Jakarta’s participation in the climate talks in Azerbaijan was instead marked with a heavy business focus, according to Edvin Aldrian, a climate researcher at the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN).

“The focus at COP29 was clearly business-oriented because the [Indonesian] delegation largely consisted of businessmen,” Edvin told BenarNews. “While business-to-business discussions are fine, the real issue lies in what benefits are on offer.”

Edvin attributed the delay in releasing the updated NDC to the government’s focus on achieving higher industrial growth targets. 

“The push for an 8% growth rate requires significant investment,” he said.

‘False solutions’

Indonesia’s reliance on projects, such as nickel mining and food plantations, has drawn criticism from environmentalists who describe them as “false solutions.”

“These projects serve political elites and corporations while displacing vulnerable communities,” said Fanny Trijambore, campaign head of local environmental group Walhi, in a statement. 

She pointed to food plantation projects – also known as food estates – in the Papua region that have been linked to deforestation, biodiversity loss, and the displacement of indigenous peoples. 

Last year, the country lost more than 1.3 million hectares of forest, according to an independent forest monitoring network, Global Forest Watch. 

Walhi also accused the Indonesian government of tapping corporations with questionable environmental and human rights records as sponsors of its pavilion at COP29.

“Instead of championing equitable solutions, the delegation has allowed the climate crisis to become a business opportunity,” said Fanny.

In Azerbaijan, Hashim defended the food estate program. 

“There is a misconception that we are destroying our forests,” he said. “Instead, we are revitalizing degraded lands to ensure the security and welfare of our people.”

Some of the Indonesian government’s proposed solutions for climate change fail to address systemic issues, advocates said.

For instance, the investment packages that promote the use of various forms of energy sources such as nuclear and hydrogen primarily benefit private companies, said Bhima Yudhistira, executive director of the Center of Economics and Law Studies (CELIOS).

“These solutions create new problems,” Bhima told BenarNews. These projects “merely delay the transition away from fossil fuels, hindering Indonesia’s ability to achieve its net-zero emissions target by 2050.”

Bhima urged Indonesia to accelerate phasing out coal-fired power plants to disallow companies to “continue emitting greenhouse gases with impunity.” 

Indonesia is one of the world’s largest carbon emitters. 

In 2022, the country’s energy sector emissions exceeded 650 million tons of carbon dioxide, according to the International Energy Agency, an intergovernmental organization.

Southeast Asia’s biggest economy is also one of the world’s biggest coal producers and consumers, with most of its energy coming from fossil fuels. The country currently has over 250 coal-fired power plants, and more are expected to be built in the next few years.

An environmental science professor cautioned the government against “greenwashing” – or actions that promote false solutions to the climate crisis – and stressed the need for genuine commitment to sustainability.

“There should be no trade-off between economic development and environmental protection,” Mahawan Karuniasa, a professor at the University of Indonesia, told BenarNews.

“The key to Indonesia’s transformation lies in optimizing its natural resources to achieve net-zero emissions while safeguarding its economic growth.”