*This is an English translation of a press release by Wahana Lingkungan Hidup Indonesia (WALHI). The original Bahasa Indonesia version can be found here.
Press Release
Wahana Lingkungan Hidup Indonesia (WALHI)
On Saturday, January 11, 2025, Japan’s new Prime Minister, Shigeru Ishiba, visited Indonesia. Alongside his earlier visit to Malaysia, this marks his first bilateral tour since assuming office. Unfortunately, his visit continues to promote outdated programs and collaborations that have caused significant harm to Indonesia’s communities and environment.
In a joint press statement with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, published on the official website of the President of the Republic of Indonesia, PM Ishiba highlighted agreements aimed at ensuring stable energy supplies. These include collaborations under the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC), such as the Muara Laboh Geothermal Power Plant (PLTP), as well as initiatives involving hydrogen, ammonia, biofuels, and critical mineral mining.
These proposals largely echo Japan’s previous efforts under AZEC, which have faced strong opposition through a petition signed by 41 civil society organizations in Indonesia. “In August 2024, Indonesian civil society criticized AZEC and called for its termination, as it would only prolong fossil fuel use, introduce false solutions that threaten the environment and community safety, and lead to human rights violations,” said Fanny Tri Jambore, WALHI’s Head of Campaign Division.
At the Muara Laboh Geothermal Power Plant, which was specifically mentioned by Prime Minister Ishiba, there have already been serious environmental and social impacts. These include forced and discriminatory land acquisition processes, crop failures due to pollution and reduced water supply, health and safety risks due to toxic gas concentrations, and worsened impacts from flooding due to changes in the landscape.
The project, invested by Japanese corporations INPEX and Sumitomo Corporation, received Phase 1 financing from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) and Nippon Export and Investment Insurance (NEXI). Phase 2 funding is currently under consideration. WALHI has submitted a petition to call on JBIC and NEXI to stop considering support for the expansion, which could result in exacerbating adverse impacts on the environment and community, and perpetuate human rights violations.
“PM Ishiba’s push for hydrogen, ammonia, biofuels, and critical mineral mining as part of a stable energy supply and decarbonization effort underscores Japan’s ongoing support to prolong fossil fuel use and to introduce false solutions in Indonesia’s energy transition,” Fanny added. He emphasized that these technologies are costly, unproven, and inadequate for achieving the 1.5°C target set in the Paris Agreement. Critical mineral mining also contradicts decarbonization goals, as it destroys forest areas, essential for carbon absorption. WALHI estimates that as of 2023, 1.3 million hectares of critical mineral mining concessions in Indonesia are located in or adjacent to forests, exacerbating deforestation and environmental degradation.
Given the severe environmental damage and community risks posed by these projects and partnerships under AZEC, WALHI urges the Japanese and Indonesian governments to cancel and stop agreements that prolong fossil fuel use, introduce false solutions that threaten environmental and community safety, and violate human rights. In addition, WALHI strongly demands the Japanese and Indonesian governments to collaborate and support a rapid, just, and equitable energy transition/decarbonization that ensures meaningful participation from local communities and civil society groups in Indonesia.
Contact:
Fanny Tri Jambore
Head of Campaign Division, WALHI
+62 83857642883