POSITION PAPER: NICKEL MACHINE DESTRUCTIVE POWER

The report details the 'destructive power' of the nickel industry in North Maluku, specifically across Weda Bay, Gebe Island, Buli Bay, Subaim-Wasile, and Obi Island. It highlights a paradox where the province's economic growth exceeds 20% due to nickel exports, while poverty increases and local livelihoods—such as fishing and farming—are destroyed. Key impacts include severe deforestation, water contamination with heavy metals (hexavalent chromium, nickel, and copper), and a surge in Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI) cases near coal-fired power plants. The document also records numerous industrial accidents at PT IWIP and the criminalization of residents resisting mining. It concludes that the 'clean energy transition' via electric vehicle batteries is built on an 'unclean and unjust' production chain.

• North Maluku experiences a stark contrast between high economic growth and rising poverty; while growth is above 20% driven by nickel exports, the poor population rose from 79.87 thousand in March 2022 to 83.80 thousand in March 2023.
• Industrial operations by PT IWIP have led to a dramatic increase in Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI) cases in the Lelilef area, rising from 434 cases in 2021 to 10,579 cases in 2023, linked to emissions from a 6,560 megawatt coal-fired power plant.
• Nickel mining has caused significant deforestation and carbon emissions across North Maluku: Central Halmahera lost 26.1 thousand hectares of tree cover (2001-2022), and East Halmahera lost 56.3 thousand hectares in the same period.
• Water quality in Weda Bay and Buli Bay has deteriorated, with research showing levels of hexavalent chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), and copper (Cu) exceeding government quality standards, affecting both seawater and fish tissues.
• The nickel industry has severely impacted food security in East Halmahera, specifically in the Subaim-Wasile region, resulting in a loss of more than 25,000 tons of paddy rice production over the last five years.
• Workplace safety at PT IWIP is critical, with records showing more than 20 workers suffering accidents since 2018, including four smelter explosions and one fire, resulting in 25 deaths.
• On Obi Island, mining operations by the Harita Group have led to the loss of sago groves and the relocation of schools and residents, while greenhouse gas emissions from the industrial area reached 3,489,944 tons of CO2e in 2022.
• Local resistance to mining is met with state repression, exemplified by the criminalization of 11 residents in July 2023 who opposed the PT Priven Lestari mine to protect the Watowato mountain range.

APA

Trend Asia (2024). POSITION PAPER: NICKEL MACHINE DESTRUCTIVE POWER. https://trendasia.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/EN-KESPOS-NICKEL-MACHINE-DESTRUCTIVE-POWER_Final-2dikompresi.pdf

Chicago

Trend Asia. POSITION PAPER: NICKEL MACHINE DESTRUCTIVE POWER. 2024. https://trendasia.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/EN-KESPOS-NICKEL-MACHINE-DESTRUCTIVE-POWER_Final-2dikompresi.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Trend Asia |title=POSITION PAPER: NICKEL MACHINE DESTRUCTIVE POWER |date=2024 |url=https://trendasia.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/EN-KESPOS-NICKEL-MACHINE-DESTRUCTIVE-POWER_Final-2dikompresi.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{trendasia2024position, author = {{Trend Asia}}, title = {{POSITION PAPER: NICKEL MACHINE DESTRUCTIVE POWER}}, institution = {Trend Asia}, year = {2024}, url = {https://trendasia.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/EN-KESPOS-NICKEL-MACHINE-DESTRUCTIVE-POWER_Final-2dikompresi.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }