Indonesia’s Second Nationally Determined Contribution (SNDC) currently being drafted by the government must be more ambitious, no questions asked. It should not only aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions but also become a policy that recognizes, protects, and empowers vulnerable groups such as small-scale farmers, Indigenous communities, women, traditional fishers, people with disabilities, informal workers, children, and the elderly.
It cannot be denied that those who have contributed the least to the climate crisis are the ones bearing the heaviest burden. This is the irony of the climate policies in this country, which continue to overlook justice within them.
With abundance of natural resources, Indonesia holds a strategic role in global efforts to address the climate crisis. However, to this day, climate justice has yet to be clearly established as a main pillar in national climate policies. Although Indonesia has ratified the Paris Agreement through Law No. 16 of 2016, the implementation of climate justice remains far from reality.
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Based on this, MADANI Berkelanjutan, Yayasan PIKUL, Perhimpunan Jiwa Sehat (PJS), Kesatuan Nelayan Tradisional Indonesia (KNTI), Working Group ICCAs Indonesia, Yayasan Humanis, Indonesian Center for Environmental Law (ICEL), Climate Rangers Jakarta, along with 65 collaborators, have developed recommendations for the SNDC to incorporate more elements of climate justice.
In this regard, there are four dimensions of climate justice that must be adopted in the SNDC: recognition, procedural, distributive, and restorative justice. These four dimensions ensure that all societal groups, especially vulnerable communities, become the primary beneficiaries of every climate policy enacted.
In the dimension of recognitional justice, SNDC must acknowledge the rights and existence of vulnerable groups. Small-scale farmers, traditional fishers, and Indigenous communities have a deep connection with nature. And as the true guardians of ecosystems, they are still continuously being marginalized in development processes. Recognizing and protecting their rights and living spaces is the first step toward achieving climate justice.
One of the key recommendations in this document is a just energy transition. Indonesia must immediately stop the development of new coal-fired power plants and begin shifting toward decentralized and democratic renewable energy sources. This transition not only involves changing energy sources but also ensuring justice for the workers affected by the shift.
Workers in the fossil fuel sector, particularly those in coal, must be provided with retraining opportunities and adequate social safety nets. Furthermore, communities residing near coal-fired power plants should be compensated and rehabilitated for the negative impacts they have endured for years. It is also essential to prioritize gender justice, as women are frequently excluded from decision-making processes concerning the energy transition.
Indigenous communities are among the groups most affected by climate change. Those who have long depended on nature for their livelihoods now face the threat of losing their land rights and natural resources due to policies that do not support them. Therefore, the protection and equitable management of ecosystems must be a priority.
The SNDC must advocate for a moratorium on land and natural forest conversion for large-scale projects such as mining and plantations. Legal recognition of Indigenous territories and the protection of Indigenous communities’ rights must be swiftly implemented. Decision-making processes involving Indigenous communities should be conducted in a participatory manner through fair mechanisms such as Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC).
Food sovereignty is another important aspect of climate justice. Small-scale farmers and traditional fishers must be the primary subjects in a sustainable food system. The SNDC should support sustainable agricultural and fishing practices that are adaptive to climate change, such as agroecology and community-based fisheries. Additionally, access to technology and fair markets should be expanded to help these groups survive and adapt.
Indonesia has a significant opportunity to become a global leader in the implementation of climate justice. However, this can only be achieved if the proposed SNDC is not only ambitious in its emission reduction targets but also fair in its implementation. Vulnerable groups must be at the center of every climate policy. Without climate justice, mitigation and adaptation efforts will only exacerbate existing inequalities.
The government, civil society, and all stakeholders must work together to achieve inclusive climate justice. Only in this way can Indonesia ensure a fairer and more sustainable future for all its citizens.
*Obtain the recommendation document for the Second Nationally Determined Contribution (SNDC) by downloading the attachment available below:
Centering People in Indonesia's Climate Action Plan: Recommendations for A Just Ambitious Second NDC