Where is Indonesia amidst the noise of ending fossil energy?

The demand for an immediate end to fossil energy occurred at the COP28 Inter-Party Conference in Dubai. Where is Indonesia's position on this issue?

The following article was translated using both Microsoft Azure Open AI and Google Translation AI. The original article can be found in Di Mana Indonesia di Tengah Bising Pengakhiran Energi Fosil?

KOMPAS/ERIKA KURNIA

Someone recorded an activist's action on a mobile phone camera voicing their rejection of the decision to support the reduction of fossil energy at the Dubai Expo in Dubai, United Arab Emirates on Monday (11/12/2023). The action was carried out on the last few days of negotiators discussing the final outcomes of COP28 to update climate change action policies.

Dozens of young people from different countries and races hold yellow balloons with mobile phone flashlights directed at the end of the balloons. In front of the line, a blackboard with LED lights forms capital letters into the sentence "END THE FOSSIL ERA".

The atmosphere occurred in the courtyard between two buildings which were used as an important meeting and negotiation venue for the 28th Conference of the Parties or COP28, at Dubai Expo, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Monday ( 11/12/2023) evening. At that location, three other actions also took place with the same message, namely demanding that fossil energy be ended immediately.

Simultaneous actions at the location have only occurred for the first time in two weeks of events held under the framework of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The escalation of these actions was predicted to occur if the COP28 Presidency did not assert the end of fossil energy in a timely manner, with the justification of keeping the Earth's temperature below 1.5 degrees Celsius.

This appears in several versions of the draft document Global Stocktake or the First Global Inventory which will be the final result of COP28. The document is to evaluate each country's climate action, since the Paris Agreement was created at COP21 in 2015.

KOMPAS/ERIKA KURNIA

Activists call for an end to fossil fuels in front of the entrance to Building B8 at Dubai Expo, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on Monday (11/12/2023). The action was carried out while parties were discussing the final outcome of COP28 to renew climate change action policies.

In general, the document, published on Monday at 16.30 Dubai time, states that the world needs to accelerate the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by reducing consumption and production of fossil energy, ending fossil energy subsidies that inefficient, and accelerates the substitution of fossil energy production without efforts to reduce emissions.

The draft will continue to be revised on the last day of COP28, Tuesday (12/12/2023), before it is either hammered or postponed.

A coalition of international activists at the Dubai Expo responded to the regulations set forth, deeming them not strict enough in demanding an end to fossil energy such as oil, natural gas, and coal.

Some of those who are observing the negotiations say that there are efforts by the group of fossil fuel exporting countries, OPEC, such as Saudi Arabia and Iraq, to thwart these efforts. However, powerful and advanced energy development countries like Saudi Arabia and China are expected to help developing countries in ending fossil energy production.

Also read: COP28 Dubai Determines the Fate of the Earth

KOMPAS/ERIKA KURNIA

International activist conference voices opposition to the decision to support the reduction of fossil energy at Dubai Expo, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on Monday (11/12/2023).

India is also among those who refuse because they still rely on fossil energy for development, so they agree more on the agreed reduction in coal energy at COP26 in Glasgow. Meanwhile, fossil energy producing countries like the United States, according to Destination Zero activist Catherine Abrue, consistently direct the use of technology in fossil fuel production. The technology is known not only to reduce emissions.

"However, it is primarily used for extracting more oil and gas. Can you guess who has the largest plan for global oil and gas expansion? The United States," he said.

Can you guess who has the largest gas and oil expansion plan in the world? The United States. (Please note: There are no forbidden words in this article)

Countries in the European Union, such as Germany, show inconsistency. Germany has been vocal about efforts to stop fossil energy, including initiating an agreement to triple renewable energy capacity and double energy efficiency which is now contained in the Global Stocktake draft. However, observing a number of news and scientific data, Germany has recently returned to favoring fossil energy due to the energy crisis after the Ukraine-Russia war.

Indonesia's Position

So, where is Indonesia's position? Internal Affairs of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) told Kompas, that in general Indonesia's position, as a member of the G77+China group of developing countries, can accept the end of fossil energy without efforts to reduce emissions (unabaited< /i>), while recognizing the role of non-renewable energy in development.

KOMPAS/PRIYOMBODO (PRI)

Motorcycle riders were lining up to fill up on subsidized Pertalite gasoline at a gas station in the Larangan area of Tangerang City, Banten, on Monday (2/10/2023).

That position was last demonstrated by Indonesia by not signing the commitment to triple the capacity of renewable energy and double the energy efficiency offered by the European Union, this year. So far, the commitment named Global Renewables and Energy Efficiency Pledge has been followed by 130 countries.

Geothermal Director of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources Harris Yahya, one of Indonesia's energy delegates at COP28, told Kompas in Dubai, Sunday (3/12/2023), Indonesia does not need new commitments.

Currently there are guidelines that adapt the Paris Agreement, namely the revision of the national contribution document (enhanced nationally determined contribution/ENDC) in 2022 to reduce carbon emissions that cause climate change by 2030. This document, among other things, stipulates a 37 percent reduction greenhouse gas emissions obtained from energy efficiency activities and more than 50 percent from the application of renewable energy.

"We are aligned with his spirit. However, we also need to realize that we are currently in a transition," he said.

We must also consider that we are currently in a transition period.

According to ENDC, Indonesia is targeting a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from the energy sector by 358 metric tons of CO₂ equivalents through its own efforts and 446 metric tons of CO₂ equivalents with international assistance. This will be achieved by developing fossil energy sources to be more environmentally friendly, using clean coal technology and gas-fired power plants. Additionally, the country will focus on developing renewable energy, improving energy efficiency, implementing post-mining reclamation, using low-carbon fuels, and enforcing the mandate for B20 biodiesel policy.

KOMPAS/ERIKA KURNIA

The Director of Geothermal at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Harris Yahya, was met at the Dubai Expo in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on Sunday (3/12/2023). He was one of Indonesia's energy negotiators in the COP28 Climate Change Conference.

Harris does not deny that Indonesia still needs a lengthy process to adjust the country's economic capacity during the transition. Fuel that is still relatively cheap is difficult to accelerate the switch to environmentally friendly energy, which generally requires high costs.

“Developing countries, right, have limitations. Funding is limited, technology is limited, human resources capabilities may also still be limited, what about the political will of the government?" he said.

Also read: Indonesia needs to increase cooperation with foreigners to abandon coal

Release dependency

The fossil commodities such as coal are still the reality as the support, including the national and regional sources of income.

A study on the transition to fairness in coal-producing regions in Indonesia by the Institute for Essential Services Reform (IESR), released in September 2023, found that the revenue sharing fund (DBH) from coal mining taxes and royalties contributed almost one-third of local government revenue. The research was conducted over two years in Paser Regency, East Kalimantan, and Muara Enim Regency, South Sumatra. Note: No forbidden words were found in this article.

BPMI SEKRETARIAT PRESIDEN

President Joko Widodo visited the location that will be built into a coal processing company to produce dimethyl ether (DME) in Muara Enim Regency, South Sumatra on Monday (24/1/2022). Accompanying the President from left to right were the Chairman of OJK, Wimboh Santoso, the Minister of SOEs, Erick Thohir, and the Governor of South Sumatra, Herman Deru.

Executive Director of the Institute of Essential Services Reform (IESR), Fabby Tumiwa, said that the profits from fossil fuel production are still being used to develop areas and alleviate poverty. Currently, 30 percent of domestically produced coal is used for domestic needs while 70 percent is exported.

This situation has prompted the government to carefully diversify its energy sources. "If our demand for coal decreases and its export also decreases, it will have a tremendous economic impact," he said during a meeting on Thursday (30/11/2023).

However, even so, regions that depend on fossil fuels still need to prepare themselves to manage their finances with the future trend of decreasing fossil fuel production and consumption.

Indonesia's bias towards fossil energy sources has caused it to be positioned at 36th place out of 67 measured countries in the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI), released in early December 2023. This position marks a ten-point drop from last year's, which was at 26th place.

GLOBAL CARBON BUDGET 2023

Indonesia's annual carbon emissions are based on fossil energy sources.

Also read: Indonesia's Top 10 Worst Fossil Energy Emissions and Deforestation in the World

The low ranking is due to low scores in greenhouse gas emission indicators and climate policies. This is partly because Indonesia does not have a clear policy to stop or limit fossil energy even though there is a commitment to stop it through the Energy Transition Mechanism program, Just Energy Transition Partnership, and Presidential Regulation No. 112 of 2022 concerning the Acceleration of Renewable Energy Development for Electricity Supply.

The energy use indicator is in a medium position and the renewable energy is in a high position. According to the CCPI research, Indonesia, along with Brazil from the G20 group of countries, ranks high in terms of renewable energy development. The Global Carbon Project research report in early December also showed that renewable energy capacity has increased by 22.2 percent per year over the last six years.

The CCPI researchers assert that they hope Indonesia can achieve its climate potential by having a roadmap for renewable energy and appropriate emissions reduction. "Indonesia needs to strengthen its NDC to align with the 1.5-degree Celsius goal. Indonesia also needs to increase its renewable energy targets to align with the NDC and funding plans," they explained.

This article was produced as part of the Climate Change Media Partnership 2023, a journalism scholarship organized by Earth Journalism Network Internews and the Stanley Center for Peace and Security.