To End Coal, Adapt to Regional Realities

Being the fourth-largest country, Indonesia plays an essential role in international climate protection. While the government has implemented forest and peatland protection measures, national energy planning heavily relies on fossil fuels, and is in clear conflict with the country’s climate goals.

Indonesia is among the countries with the largest planned coal power capacity additions worldwide, thereby posing a substantial challenge for global climate change mitigation goals. To understand the underlying political drivers, the authors of this chapter carry out expert interviews and examine how individual actors and their objectives have been driven by the development of public infrastructure, while securing popularity for the presidential election in 2019.

Despite widespread criticism and concerns about their impacts on climate change, fossil fuel energy sources like coal still contribute a significant share to the global energy supply. In emerging economies like Indonesia, they are perceived to play a pivotal role in meeting growing energy demands…

Being the fourth-largest country, Indonesia plays an essential role in international climate protection. While the government has implemented forest and peatland protection measures, national energy planning heavily relies on fossil fuels, and is in clear conflict with the country’s climate goals.

Indonesia is among the countries with the largest planned coal power capacity additions worldwide, thereby posing a substantial challenge for global climate change mitigation goals. To understand the underlying political drivers, the authors of this chapter carry out expert interviews and examine how individual actors and their objectives have been driven by the development of public infrastructure, while securing popularity for the presidential election in 2019.