Spreading the Issue of Energy Transitions Through Journalistic

Palembang, 20 February 2024 – Indonesia increased its commitment of achieving the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) in 2030 to 31.89% (unconditional) and 43.20% (conditional). The government has also issued Presidential Regulation No. 112 of 2022 concerning the Acceleration of Renewable Energy Development for Electric Power Supply Supports the Acceleration of Domestic Energy Transitions. Various government programs hopefully will help Indonesia to achieve the Net Zero Emission (NZE) target in 2060 or faster.

The media plays an important role in guarding the issue of climate change, including energy transition policies from the government. The media also played a role in building public support while providing education about the issue of energy transition. Through informative and weighty coverage, the media can help form public opinion, motivate actions, and support steps towards a more sustainable energy system.

In this regard, the Institute for Essential Services Reform (IESR) with the Palembang Independent Journalist Alliance (AJI) and the Indonesian Environmental Journalist Community (SIEJ) South Sumatra held a network of South Sumatra journalists with the theme “Spreading the Issue of Energy Transitions Through Journalistic” on February 20, 2024, in Palembang. In the event which was attended by 39 journalists from various print and online media in South Sumatra, the speakers from the South Sumatra Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Office, Sriwijaya University, and IESR took turns giving presentations.

Head of Energy Division from the South Sumatra ESDM Office Dr. Aryansyah explained that the realization of the South Sumatra renewable energy mix in 2022 had reached 23.85% or two percent higher than the 2025 target listed in RUED Province. Nevertheless, the utilization of renewable energy has only reached 989.12 MW or 4.7% of the total solar, hydro, wind, bioenergy, and geothermal energy potential of 21,032 MW.

“There are several strategies for implementing regional level energy management in South Sumatra. For example with the issuance of South Sumatra Governor Regulation Number 26 of 2021 concerning the use of battery-based electricity vehicles to support the acceleration of electric motor vehicle programs. As an implementation of the regulation, on April 25, 2022 the South Sumatra ESDM Office had an electric car unit. Another example, we are also conducting a study of potential biomass based on cow dung in Musi Banyuasin Regency, “said Aryansyah.

Lecturer in the Faculty of Economics, Sriwijaya University, Dr. Abdul Bashir explained that from an economic point of view, energy transitions will increase energy security and reduce dependence on fossil fuel imports. Energy transition can also increase economic diversification and create new sources of income that are beneficial to the surrounding community.

“In terms of policy, the government needs to set clear targets and roadmaps for energy transitions. Regulations that support the development of EBT, such as fiscal incentives and facilitate the licensing process can also be considered. The media needs to oversee this issue by providing education about the transition of energy, EBT, and its impact on the community. Conversely, the media can also voice the aspirations and concerns of the community about energy transitions, “said Abdul Bashir.

The IESR Communication Team Kurniawati Hasjanah stated that the mass media was still the main source of information for readers who wanted to explore the issue of energy transitions, followed by research, academic webinars, then influencers on social media. Interestingly, the focus of the news is still dominated by the point of view delivered by the government and business people.

“In preaching the issue of energy transitions, journalists need to understand that new energy generated from technology cannot be categorized as renewable energy, such as nuclear energy, coal gasification, and coal liquidation. Journalists also need to reveal the social and economic implications of energy transitions, including in terms of employment and affected workers. Policies related to energy transitions must be participatory since the transition concerns the lives of many people, “said Kurniawati Hasjanah.

Fighting for Just Energy Transition in Indonesia, Colombia, and South Africa

Jakarta, February 29, 2024 – The aspect of justice in energy transition is closely tied to community involvement in the process, particularly in preparing communities in coal-producing areas. Civil society organizations, as entities that closely engage with both the community and the government, play a significant role in urging the government to adopt participatory policies and integrate equitable principles. Additionally, they help in enhancing the community’s capacity by providing skills and knowledge, enabling them to effectively articulate their interests.

Ilham Surya, an Environmental Policy Analyst at the Institute for Essential Services Reform (IESR), highlighted that the income of coal-producing regions in Indonesia heavily relies on the coal industry. He pointed out that the lack of economic diversification in these regions could lead to economic disruptions if there’s a decrease in coal demand due to the global energy transition, especially if no measures are taken to mitigate this change.

“Indonesia is practicing distributive justice concerning fossil energy by providing access to electricity from coal and offering some subsidies to maintain affordability. The government should extend this distributive justice to the adoption of renewable energy during this global energy transition. Furthermore, Indonesia has ratified the Paris Agreement to contribute to emission reduction, including emissions from the energy sector,” Ilham explained during the webinar titled “Cross-country reflections on coal and just transitions in Colombia, South Africa, and Indonesia,” organized by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) in collaboration with IESR.

Ilham emphasized the government’s promotion of the concept of energy transition, which he finds still confusing. On one hand, Indonesia receives various funding for energy transitions such as the Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM) and the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP). On the other hand, Indonesia appears to be permitting the construction of coal-fired power plants for industrial purposes.

According to Ilham, civil society organizations need to establish intensive discussion spaces and enhance the relevance of energy transition to the community to ensure that more people are exposed to energy transition issues.

Juliana Peña Niño, Senior Staff at the National Resource Governance Institute, revealed that the coal-producing regions of La Guajira and Cesar in Colombia are heavily reliant on royalties from the coal industry. She stated that nearly 50% of the region’s revenue comes from coal royalties, leading to a less diversified economy.

“The government must utilize these royalties to channel investments towards economic diversification. The challenge lies in the fact that local governments lack the capacity to access these resources and develop alternative economic projects,” she elaborated.

Furthermore, when discussing the energy transition in South Africa, Muhammed Patel, Senior Economist at Trade and Industrial Policy Strategies, considers the bottom-up approach as the ideal method to encourage community participation. However, implementing this approach tends to be challenging due to the prevailing top-down approach in South Africa.

“A lot of energy policy decisions can be made at a national level, but local governments sort of have to bear the costs,” added Patel. “Moreover, local governments often face capacity constraints. Even struggling to provide basic services, often private sector stakeholders take over the government.”

In South Africa, the civil society movement has also brought attention to the issue of energy transition through various means, such as pursuing legal cases concerning air pollution from factories in South Africa, lobbying the government, and engaging with the community.

“But those are some of the dynamics where there’s a strong voice for justice, strong backlash against injustice, especially when it concerns vulnerable communities and heavy industrial operations. But they don’t get a lot of support. So they often are flying the flag on the triangle,” remarked Patel.

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