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This report by Trend Asia examines the social and environmental risks associated with geothermal energy expansion in Indonesia. While promoted by international financial institutions as a low-carbon climate solution, the document argues that current funding models prioritize corporate financial risk over the resulting water scarcity, pollution, and human rights violations affecting local and indigenous communities.

This report by Trend Asia examines the socio-environmental impacts of geothermal energy expansion in Indonesia, arguing that financial models supported by international financial institutions (IFIs) like the World Bank and Asian Development Bank (ADB) prioritize corporate de-risking over the rights and livelihoods of local and Indigenous communities.

A coalition of 115 civil society organizations has issued a legal notice (somasi) to President Prabowo, demanding the immediate declaration of a national disaster status following ecological disasters, including floods and landslides, in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra.

This case study describes the revitalization of Terminal Binjai in Medan, Indonesia, through a community-led design process and 'tactical urbanism'. Led by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) and local partners as part of the UK Partnering for Accelerated Climate Transitions (UK PACT) initiative, the project transformed a neglected transit hub into an inclusive, green mobility node by integrating the needs of marginalized groups and local residents.

This briefing paper by Trend Asia discusses the impact of climate disasters in Indonesia and criticizes the government's energy planning documents—the National Electricity General Plan (RUKN) 2025-2060 and the Electricity Supply Business Plan (RUPTL) 2025-2034—for continuing reliance on fossil fuels and 'false solutions' like biomass co-firing. It details legal challenges filed by a coalition of civil society organizations and affected citizens against these plans in the Jakarta Administrative Court (PTUN Jakarta).

This research paper analyzes the relationship between Indonesia's palm oil production, its export markets, and the resulting deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions, utilizing Trase supply chain data.

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).

The Corporate Climate Finance Playbook provides a framework for companies to strategically deploy, manage, and raise capital to meet climate goals. It categorizes instruments into capital deployment, management, and raising, emphasizing the need to match financial tools to the innovation stage of climate initiatives. Through case studies from companies like Microsoft, Autodesk, and Salesforce, it demonstrates how blending philanthropy, venture capital, and sustainability bonds can accelerate the transition to net zero.

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 evaluates the progress of the New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF) five years after its inception. It finds that despite increased awareness and technological monitoring, global deforestation has accelerated, and most 2020 targets will be missed. The document highlights a critical gap in funding, where investments driving deforestation vastly outweigh those for conservation. It emphasizes that indigenous land rights and strong political will are essential prerequisites for success, while corporate progress is stalled by supply chain complexity. The report calls for a paradigm shift toward 'green finance' and nature-based solutions to align forest protection with global climate and sustainable development goals.

This case study examines the challenges and opportunities for decentralized renewable energy development in Nusa Tenggara Barat, Indonesia. It highlights the gap between the province's high renewable potential—specifically in mini-hydro—and its actual installed capacity, while analyzing the technical, policy, and institutional barriers facing Independent Power Producers (IPPs) and community-led projects.

This report examines the challenges and opportunities for subnational renewable energy development in West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. It highlights that while the region has significant mini-hydro potential, development is hindered by a combination of technical, institutional, and policy barriers, including land acquisition issues, slow asset transfers, and poor coordination between on-grid and off-grid electricity supply. The document advocates for a Public-Private-People Partnership (PPPP) approach and improved capacity building at the provincial level to unlock investment from Independent Power Producers (IPPs) and community-level producers.

This research paper by the Climate Policy Initiative describes a landscape management approach designed to transform Indonesia's oil palm sector into a high-productivity, sustainable industry. The approach, supported by Unilever and IDH, moves beyond simple supply chain traceability to manage agricultural production and ecosystem protection across connected areas of land at scale. The document details a five-step implementation process and highlights a pilot project in Sei Mangkei, North Sumatra, aimed at improving land-use planning, increasing smallholder productivity, and protecting peat and forest ecosystems.

This research paper surveys foreign investment trends and business models in Indonesia's agricultural sector. It identifies contract farming and land concessions as the primary investment structures, analyzing their impacts on productivity and rural livelihoods. The author argues that while these models offer potential benefits, they are often undermined by an unfavorable business environment, lack of transparency in land use, and regulatory inconsistencies, leading to policy recommendations for land reform and enhanced farmer capacity.

This policy brief argues that small-scale Independent Power Producers (IPPs) are critical for Indonesia to meet its growing electricity demand and renewable energy targets. While the government has implemented feed-in-tariffs (FIT) to create a business case for these projects, significant barriers remain in finance, permitting, and grid operation. The document recommends a policy package providing technical and financial support to IPPs, banks, and government authorities to reduce risks and lower project costs.

This briefing note by the International Institute for Sustainable Development examines the impact of fossil-fuel subsidy reforms on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Indonesia. It argues that while SMEs are generally less energy-intensive than large enterprises, they are more vulnerable to price shocks due to lower coping capacities and a heavy reliance on low-income consumers who are most affected by fuel-driven inflation.

This policy brief by civil society groups argues against the Indonesian government's plan to open 20 million hectares of forest for food and energy self-sufficiency, claiming it will lead to massive deforestation, human rights violations, and ecological disasters.

This briefing paper by Trend Asia criticizes the Indonesian government's continued reliance on coal-fired power plants (PLTU) despite escalating climate disasters and negative socio-economic impacts. It details legal challenges brought by civil society organizations and affected citizens against the National Electricity General Plan (RUKN) 2025-2060 and the Electricity Supply Business Plan (RUPTL) 2025-2034, arguing that these documents perpetuate fossil fuel dependency and ignore public health and environmental risks.

This report by Trend Asia, CELIOS, and CREA identifies the 20 most toxic coal-fired power plants (CFPPs) in Indonesia, termed the "Toxic Twenty." It analyzes the severe public health, economic, and environmental costs associated with these facilities, arguing that current government retirement roadmaps are insufficient and often delayed by a reliance on unproven technologies like co-firing and CCS/CCUS. The report provides detailed case studies for several plants, documenting widespread respiratory illnesses, loss of traditional livelihoods in fisheries and agriculture, and significant negative impacts on regional GDP.