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

This case study by Friends of the Earth International describes the environmental and social impacts of coal mining in Indonesia, specifically focusing on the struggles of indigenous communities in Kalimantan and the support provided by Friends of the Earth Indonesia/WALHI.

• Indonesia is a major global coal exporter that mined over 460 million tonnes of coal in 2015. Despite a Paris Agreement commitment to reduce emissions by 29% by 2030, the government intends to produce an additional 35,000 MW of energy primarily from coal and has issued more than 5,000 mining permits.
• In Kalimantan, the Indonesian portion of Borneo, the government has granted 2,450 concessions covering 3.8 million hectares, with approximately 280 currently operating. This intensive mining threatens biodiverse rainforests and the livelihoods of indigenous communities.
• Coal mining has caused severe environmental and health crises, including mass deforestation, contamination of rivers with mining waste, and the loss of traditional food sources like galingale. Health impacts include lung problems caused by coal dust and skin issues from contaminated water, while environmental disruption has increased the frequency of landslides and floods.
• Mining operations have led to social conflict, violence against peaceful protesters, and police pressure on community members. Local residents report a lack of consultation by companies and a lack of job opportunities, while some have lost income after selling farmland to mining firms.
• Friends of the Earth Indonesia/WALHI supports local communities by collecting water samples to prove contamination and lobbying the Corruption Eradication Commission to revoke permits from companies that pollute, mine in forests, or evade taxes. Communities are demanding the revocation of licenses, specifically in the East Barito area and for the BNJM company in Gunung Karasik village.

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} }