Jakarta, 13 October 2023 – As Indonesia’s ambition to realize a Golden Indonesia by 2045 and achieve net zero emission (NZE) by 2060 becomes clear, the government and related parties need to work together to strengthen public understanding of the energy transition, as one of the efforts to achieve these targets.

Agus Tampubolon, Project Manager of Clean, Affordable, and Secure Energy for Southeast Asia (CASE), Institute for Essential Services Reform (IESR), mentioned that the perspective on nature and the use of renewable energy in Indonesia should be ingrained in every individual’s mindset and life.

“Every person has an innate tendency to safeguard their belongings. Therefore, collectively acknowledging the value of nature, forests, oceans, and the environment as crucial components can inspire us to take more eco-friendly actions,” Agus said at Indonesia Sustainable Energy Week (ISEW) 2023.

The relevance of the energy transition issue to people’s lives will also increase understanding of the transition to renewable energy and encourage changes in behavior to become more environmentally friendly; it also promotes increased action to encourage policies that support the adoption of renewable energy.

“The energy transition is multidimensional, not only technical but also social. Everyone must be involved and contribute to an equitable transition,” Agus said. 

On the other hand, efforts to raise public awareness of the energy transition should promote a positive attitude towards Indonesia that can achieve emission-free targets according to the Paris Agreement. Providing reliable data support will help dispel pessimism and encourage support for renewable energy initiatives.

“Pessimism can come from an attitude of helplessness and the view that getting out of the centuries-old fossil energy trap is impossible and expensive. If we stick to this polluting energy, the country will incur much more expensive costs, accelerating global temperatures that exacerbate the climate crisis,” he said.

The availability of data related to the potential of renewable energy potential in the country, studies showing that Indonesia can achieve zero emissions faster, actionable recommendations that can be implemented and measured, and collaborative advocacy efforts involving various community groups are several ways to spread optimism and encourage the acceleration of energy transition for Indonesia to achieve zero emissions faster.