People Power in action: Communities unite against coal mining in Indonesia

The document details how coal mining in Indonesia, particularly in Kalimantan, leads to mass deforestation, water contamination, and health issues such as lung problems from coal dust. It highlights the struggle of communities in villages like Tamiang Layang and Gunung Karasik, who face violence and police pressure while demanding the revocation of mining permits. The text notes a contradiction between the Indonesian government's goal to produce an additional 35,000 MW of energy from coal and its Paris Agreement pledge to reduce emissions by 29% by 2030.

• Indonesia's coal mining sector is extensive, with over 460 million tonnes mined in 2015 and more than 5,000 mining permits issued. The government aims to add 35,000 MW of energy, primarily from coal, which conflicts with its Paris Agreement commitment to cut emissions by 29% by 2030.
• In Kalimantan, the government has issued 2,450 concessions covering 3.8 million hectares, with 280 currently operating. This has resulted in mass deforestation and the loss of indigenous livelihoods, as communities can no longer gather forest resources or hunt.
• Mining operations have caused severe environmental and health degradation, including the contamination of rivers with mining waste, which restricts access to clean drinking water and causes skin problems. Additionally, coal dust is linked to lung problems, and environmental disruption has increased the frequency of floods and landslides.
• Local communities face social conflict and state repression, including violence from mining companies and pressure from police during peaceful protests. Organizations like WALHI support these communities by collecting evidence of water contamination and petitioning the Corruption Eradication Commission to revoke illegal permits.

APA

admin (2017). People Power in action: Communities unite against coal mining in Indonesia. Friends of the Earth International. https://www.foei.org/people-power-in-action-communities-unite-against-coal-mining-in-indonesia/

Chicago

admin. People Power in action: Communities unite against coal mining in Indonesia. Friends of the Earth International, 2017. https://www.foei.org/people-power-in-action-communities-unite-against-coal-mining-in-indonesia/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=admin |title=People Power in action: Communities unite against coal mining in Indonesia |publisher=Friends of the Earth International |date=9 October 2017 |url=https://www.foei.org/people-power-in-action-communities-unite-against-coal-mining-in-indonesia/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{admin2017people, author = {admin}, title = {{People Power in action: Communities unite against coal mining in Indonesia}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2017}, month = oct, url = {https://www.foei.org/people-power-in-action-communities-unite-against-coal-mining-in-indonesia/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }