"Indonesia mulls Paris Agreement exit, citing fairness and energy transition costs", 4 February 2025

JAKARTA — Indonesia, one of the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitters, has signaled it might follow in the footsteps of the U.S. and withdraw from the Paris climate agreement.

“If the United State [the second-biggest emitter after China] does not want to comply with the international agreement, why should a country like Indonesia comply with it?” Hashim Djojohadikusumo, Indonesia’s special envoy for climate change and energy, said at a sustainability forum in Jakarta on Jan. 31.

He pointed to the stark disparity in per capita carbon emissions, with the U.S. emitting approximately 13 metric tons of carbon per person annually, while the average Indonesian emits about 3 metric tons.

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While Indonesia hasn’t officially stated any plans to withdraw from the 2015 Paris Agreement, a growing number of top officials have questioned the fairness of Indonesia’s commitment to reducing emissions when a major polluter like the U.S. has opted out. Bahlil Lahadalia, the minister of energy and mines, said the U.S. withdrawal from the agreement could lead to a decrease in financial support for renewable energy projects. That will make it difficult for Indonesia to remain committed to its clean energy transition, he said.

Developing countries like Indonesia have long called for financial assistance from wealthier nations to address climate change, as they lack the resources to do so despite suffering the most from its effects.

“Why are we being forced to retire coal-fired power plants? Who’s going to fund [these early retirements]?” Bahlil said as quoted by local media. “There are no donor organizations that have funded [early coal retirement]. Zero.”

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Giorgio B. Indrarto, deputy director of Indonesian sustainability NGO Madani Berkelanjutan, said Indonesia’s leadership appears detached from the urgency of the climate crisis.

“These statements [by Hashim and Bahlil] show a lack of understanding and ignorance from the government on the urgency of the climate crisis, and their reluctance to prioritize climate justice agenda,” he said.

Novita Indri, a fossil energy campaigner at the NGO Trend Asia, said Indonesian officials should see Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement as the anti-science move that it is, one that’s been widely condemned by the international community.

Activists say Indonesia is legally and morally obligated to curb emissions to protect its citizens’ right to a clean and healthy environment.

“Building energy security while letting people bear the negative impacts of coal burning is the same as actively violating their rights,” said Syaharani from the Indonesian Center for Environmental Law (ICEL).

Indonesia is also morally obligated to curb its emissions and transition away from fossil fuels, activists say, given that it’s not just a major polluter through coal burning, but also an exporter of emissions as the world’s top coal exporter. In 2023, the country’s coal production and exports reached record highs, with China and India its two biggest export markets. Those countries are also two of the largest emitters in the world.

Indonesia’s coal industry and its powerful lobbying appear to be heavily influencing the government’s stance on the Paris Agreement, said Sisilia Nurmala Dewi, the Indonesia team lead for climate nonprofit 350.org. Several top officials also have coal business interests, including Bahlil, whose web of companies include coal mines.

“[The government’s stance] reflects a reluctance to acknowledge the inevitable decline of fossil fuels and the environmental impact of deforestation,” Sisilia said.

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