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The report 'Boom & Bust Coal 2026' analyzes the global state of coal-fired power plants in 2025, highlighting a paradox where global capacity is increasing while actual electricity production from coal is declining. It focuses heavily on the roles of China and India as the primary drivers of new capacity, the shift of coal to a 'system insurance' role, and a detailed critique of Indonesia's regulatory contradictions and the rise of captive coal plants for mineral processing.

The report 'Boom & Bust Coal 2026' bySS analyzes global coal power trends in 2025, highlighting a growing gap where coal capacity is increasing while actual electricity production isS is declining. This trend is most prominent in China and India, where coal plants are increasingly used as 'system insurance' to support the integration of renewables. While the number of countries pursuing new coal projects is decreasing, Indonesia remains a significant outlier, expanding coal capacity primarily through 'captive' power plants for mineral processing (nickel and aluminum) and facing regulatory contradictions between its climate commitments and energy planning documents.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative examines the operationalization of Standard 9 (Economic Diversification and Transformation) of the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) Just Transition Framework in two remote communities in Maluku, Indonesia: Air Buaya and Pasir Putih. The study focuses on transitioning these areas from diesel-based power to renewable energy while ensuring economic resilience, workforce protection, and the expansion of productive energy uses, particularly in the tuna fishery sector.

This policy brief examines the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) risks associated with Indonesia's nickel industry, which is critical to the global energy transition. While Indonesia has seen significant economic growth and export value increases through its downstreaming strategy and export bans, the sector faces challenges including high carbon intensity, workplace fatalities, and rising agrarian disputes. The document maps Indonesian regulations against international standards, identifies policy gaps in human rights and transparency, and provides recommendations to strengthen safeguards and governance.

This report by Ember analyzes Indonesia's National Electricity Master Plan (RUKN 2024 - 2060), arguing that planned expansions in captive coal capacity threaten the country's climate goals and the Paris Agreement targets. The report highlights a projected surge in coal generation peaking in 2037 and recommends shifting toward renewables to reduce financial and environmental risks.

This briefing by Trend Asia argues that the UN Secretary-General's Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals lacks representation from communities directly impacted by the mining and processing of transition minerals. The document highlights the negative environmental and social consequences of 'green extractivism' in Argentina, Indonesia, and Guinea, and provides a set of recommendations for governments and companies to safeguard human rights and environmental standards.

This briefing by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) and Global Energy Monitor (GEM) examines the growth of 'captive' coal-fired power plants in Indonesia—off-grid stations operated by industrial actors. The report highlights a significant increase in captive coal capacity, primarily driven by the metal smelting industry, and argues that this trend threatens Indonesia's national climate commitments and the goals of the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP).

This briefing by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) examines the growth of 'captive' coal-fired power plants in Indonesia—off-grid facilities operated by industrial users. It highlights a significant increase in captive capacity, particularly to power metal smelters for nickel and aluminium, which contradicts Indonesia's climate commitments and the goals of the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP).

A report by Trend Asia and Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) investigating potential fraud and irregularities in the procurement of tear gas equipment by the Indonesian National Police (Polri) between 2013 and 2022.

This report by Trend Asia analyzes the environmental risks associated with PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara's (PLN) co-firing policy, which mixes biomass with coal in power plants. The author argues that the massive land requirements for energy plantation forests (HTE) to supply wood pellets will likely lead to significant deforestation, contradicting Indonesia's climate commitments.

This report by Forum Studi Halmahera, Trend Asia, and YLBHI details the environmental and social devastation caused by nickel mining and smelting in North Maluku, Indonesia. Despite high regional economic growth, the report finds rising poverty and severe ecological damage, including deforestation, water pollution with heavy metals, and frequent flash floods. It documents significant health impacts, such as a surge in Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI) cases near the PT IWIP industrial estate, and reports numerous work accidents and deaths. The document argues that the 'clean energy transition' is being built on an 'unclean and unjust' production chain that displaces local communities and destroys traditional livelihoods.

This position paper by Forum Studi Halmahera (FOSHAL), Trend Asia, and YLBHI details the ecological and social devastation caused by nickel mining and downstream processing (hilirisasi) in North Maluku. It argues that while the province shows high economic growth driven by nickel exports, this is contrasted by rising poverty, severe deforestation, water pollution, and health crises among local populations.

This factsheet by Trend Asia criticizes the April 2023 Initial Public Offering (IPO) of PT Trimegah Bangun Persada Tbk (NCKL), a subsidiary of the Harita Group. The document alleges that the IPO funds will exacerbate environmental destruction, social displacement, and labor safety violations associated with the group's nickel smelting operations on Obi Island, North Maluku. It further claims that the involvement of various international investors and underwriters contradicts their public commitments to the Paris Agreement and net-zero emissions targets.

This fact sheet by Trend Asia criticizes the April 2023 Initial Public Offering (IPO) of PT Trimegah Bangun Persada Tbk (NCKL), a subsidiary of Harita Group. The document alleges that the company's nickel mining and smelting operations on Obi Island cause severe environmental degradation, human rights violations through forced relocation, and workplace fatalities, while relying on coal-fired power plants that contradict international climate commitments.

This case study by Trend Asia argues that the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the World Bank Group are indirectly financing the expansion of captive coal power on Obi Island, Indonesia. Through investments in financial intermediaries like Hana Bank Indonesia and OCBC NISP, the IFC is linked to nickel refineries and smelters that rely on coal for power. The report highlights a critical loophole in the IFC's Green Equity Approach that excludes captive coal from its 'coal-related projects' definition. The resulting industrial expansion is linked to severe health issues (cancer, respiratory illness), environmental degradation (4 million tons of toxic waste annually), and increased poverty for local women, while generating emissions equivalent to six times those of Timor Leste.