Climate Rights International (CRI) published an update to its previous report, “Nickel Unearthed: The Human and Climate Costs of Indonesia’s Nickel Industry” in January 2024. See the story page of the previous report here.



This update re-examines the environmental, climate, and human rights impacts of the multi-billion-dollar Indonesia Weda Bay Industrial Park (IWIP), the massive integrated nickel smelter mega-project located on the island of Halmahera in North Maluku.

Between the two reports, CRI carried out follow-up interviews with residents of Halmahera to determine whether the Indonesian government or local companies had taken any action to address environmental and human rights violations or to provide full compensation for lost land and assets. These interviews, along with further reports from NGOs and media sources, reveal that communities near IWIP are still experiencing significant environmental damage and human rights abuses linked to industrial mining and mineral processing activities.

Throughout their research on Halmahera, CRI has written to 19 electric vehicle (EV) companies to seek information about the climate, human rights, and environmental consequences of their transition mineral supply chains and their due diligence practices. CRI wrote to Tesla, Ford, and Volkswagen, which allegedly source nickel from Indonesia, including from companies that have major nickel operations at the IWIP. Ford and Volkswagen responded in writing, which can be accessed in this press release from CRI. While Tesla did not respond in writing, it has engaged in discussions with CRI, and has responded to the Business and Human Rights Resource Centre.

In April and May 2024, Climate Rights International wrote to sixteen additional EV companies. Only four – General Motors, Mercedes-Benz, BMW Group, and Renault – responded. Nio responded after the publication of CRI's press release. Links to their responses may be found here.

The Resource Centre invited companies to respond to the allegations, including the other EV companies (BYD, GAC Motor, Geely, Honda, Kia, Nio, Nissan, SAIC Motor, Stellantis, Subaru, and Volvo) that did not respond to CRI. Only Volvo, Honda, and Stellantis responded. Their responses are linked below.