[Jakarta, 18 August 2024] The State of the Nation Address delivered by President Joko Widodo at the DPR and MPR plenary session on 16 August 2024 marked an important moment, not only as his final state address during his term in office, but also as a reflection of his 10 years of administration that will be remembered in Indonesia’s history. On this occasion, the People’s Alliance for Climate Justice (ARUKI) demands that the next government demonstrate a serious commitment to realizing climate justice. Until the end of President Jokowi’s leadership, climate change control actions have not been made a top priority and remain far removed from a Climate Justice perspective.
This state address should have been used by President Joko Widodo not only to reaffirm Indonesia’s commitment to addressing the climate crisis, but also to present concrete steps taken to reduce dependence on extractive industries. Indonesia must begin shifting toward a more sustainable and just development model that not only prioritizes economic growth, but also preserves environmental sustainability, upholds human rights, and improves people’s welfare, particularly for vulnerable groups.
Unfortunately, in his address, President Jokowi only briefly mentioned the green economy without highlighting the climate crisis as an urgent and critical issue in Indonesia’s future development agenda. Furthermore, President Jokowi explicitly outlined his achievements in economic development, infrastructure, and the expansion of the social security system. However, he did not present a single concrete success in addressing the climate crisis. President Jokowi failed to explain the achievements related to the Government of Indonesia’s commitment to reduce GHG emissions by 31.89 percent through its own efforts and 43.20 percent with international support(1).
Although there have been macro-level advances, over the past decade economic policies centered on extractive industries demonstrate the government’s disregard for the worsening climate crisis. The impacts are felt most acutely by vulnerable groups such as small-scale farmers, traditional fishers, Indigenous Peoples, women, youth, workers, informal laborers, persons with disabilities, children, and the elderly—those on the frontlines of climate change. They bear the heaviest burden from extreme weather, crop failures, degradation of terrestrial and marine ecosystems, including the adverse impacts of maladaptation projects, misguided mitigation actions, and various negative consequences of development that is neither just nor inclusive, thereby threatening their survival.
ARUKI notes that during President Jokowi’s 10 years of leadership, climate policies and actions have not only failed to address the root causes of the climate crisis, but have further endangered public safety, damaged the environment, and violated human rights.
10 Years of Joko Widodo’s Administration: Development Projects that Undermine People’s Adaptive Capacity
Under Joko Widodo’s leadership, massive development projects were continuously pushed forward without adequately considering their environmental impacts and the adaptive capacity of communities. These projects were legitimized through Law No. 2/2023 on Job Creation, which expands the scale of exploitation of biosphere reserves, nature reserves, and forests without due regard for environmental consequences.
Several projects framed as climate solutions in fact constitute false solutions, including:
1. Energy transition projects.
The energy transition schemes promoted under the Jokowi administration are neither democratic nor just. Projects labeled as climate action largely represent business as usual (BAU), emphasizing large-scale investment while exacerbating people’s vulnerability to climate change and making adaptation more difficult. Geothermal projects, CCUS, hydropower plants, electric vehicles, and other energy transition initiatives have expanded environmental destruction, forest degradation, and social harm. A Walhi & Celios (2023) study shows that geothermal expansion and exploration in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) has resulted in annual community economic losses of 1.1 trillion rupiah, excluding long-term environmental damage and conflicts. Under the banner of climate action, the government has also aggressively issued mining permits and nickel smelter licenses to corporations. The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources recorded that as of 2023, nickel mining permits had been granted to 213 corporate entities, covering at least 693,246.72 hectares of forest land2. This scheme contributes to GHG emissions, human rights violations, and significant environmental destruction. Small farmers, traditional fishers, women, and Indigenous Peoples around nickel mining and smelting areas in Sulawesi, Maluku, and Papua are direct victims of land dispossession and environmental degradation.
2. The JETP (Just Energy Transition Partnership).
JETP is dominated by foreign debt financing, which risks increasing the state’s financial burden and ultimately taxpayers’ burden. It prioritizes large-scale renewable energy development vulnerable to human rights violations, while neglecting community-based renewable energy that would make energy more accessible and affordable.
3. Coal mining concessions granted to religious organizations (Nahdlatul Ulama/NU and Muhammadiyah).
Granting coal mining concessions to religious organizations represents not only ecological “greenwashing” of the coal industry but also weakens the environmental movement. Environmental movements advocating stronger climate commitments may now face opposition from these organizations. Horizontal conflict between environmental movements and these Islamic organizations becomes difficult to avoid.
4. The Food Estate project.
This program, costing over 104 trillion rupiah from the state budget and implemented in Sumatra, Kalimantan, Papua, and NTT, has failed and caused ecological damage, economic loss, and social inequality. In Gunung Mas, Central Kalimantan, the project cleared 165,000 hectares of protected forest, including 600 hectares of rainforest, increasing flood risks due to deforestation.
5. The Shrimp Estate project.
Large-scale shrimp pond development in Central Java, Central Kalimantan, and NTB excludes vulnerable groups, especially traditional fish farmers and women. Aimed at boosting exports to countries such as the United States and Japan, it threatens traditional livelihoods, degrades coastal ecosystems like mangroves, and has been linked to labor rights violations of women fish workers (Infid, 2022). The project also fails to consider climate risks in coastal and marine sectors. The Coastal Climate Forum (KNTI & Pikul, 2023) found that inappropriate climate policies have increased vulnerability and undermined traditional fishers’ adaptive capacity.
6. Carbon trading schemes focused on business interests that fail to address the root causes of the climate crisis, serving instead to absolve corporations of responsibility for environmental damage and GHG emissions.
Over the past 10 years, rather than embedding climate justice principles into policy, regulations have fostered climate-related business opportunities instead of genuine emissions reduction and community resilience. This situation has been worsened by broad discretionary powers that weaken democracy and undermine public oversight.
It Is Time for Indonesia to Enact a Climate Justice Law
Until the end of President Jokowi’s administration, no legislation guarantees justice and public safety in the face of the climate crisis. The impacts are unavoidable, and vulnerable groups bear the heaviest burden when the state fails to respond holistically. ARUKI’s consultations across eight provinces3 reveal urgent public demands for comprehensive and just responses to climate injustice.
ARUKI therefore urges the incoming government to:
Proactively evaluate and correct policies and regulations contrary to Climate Justice principles, including the Mining Law and Job Creation Law.
Thoroughly revise the JETP Comprehensive Investment and Policy Plan (CIPP) to reduce foreign debt dominance and promote community-based renewables.
Cancel coal mining concessions offered to religious organizations and halt mining permits issued under the pretext of addressing the climate crisis.
Immediately deliberate the Draft Climate Justice Law. Indonesia needs a higher-level regulation that transcends sectoral and bureaucratic divides. Climate justice is no longer optional but an urgent necessity to protect the future of the earth and the Indonesian people.
About ARUKI
ARUKI is an alliance of 34 civil society organizations formed on 20 November 2023, including Walhi National Executive, ICEL, Kemitraan, PIKUL, Madani Berkelanjutan, YAPPIKA, Yayasan Pusaka, Aksi! For Gender Social Ecological Justice, Solidaritas Perempuan, YLBHI, 350.org Indonesia, AMAN, KPA, KNTI, Trend Asia, Celios, Perkumpulan Huma, and others.
ARUKI aims to promote the enactment of a Climate Justice Law as the highest legal instrument to foster collaboration and harmonization in addressing the climate crisis. Its vision is systemic transformation grounded in justice, democracy, and sustainability.
Media Contact:
Omen Bagaskara (omenbagaskara@pikul.id / +62 85-314-451-953)
References:
https://www.walhi.or.id/uploads/blogs/Foto%20Rilis/tolak_investasi_nikel.pdf
Climate-impacted community consultations were conducted in South Sumatra, East Kalimantan, Bali, Central Sulawesi, East Nusa Tenggara, Central Java, Yogyakarta, and Papua.
