Just Transition in Indonesia: Concepts, principles, and Indonesia’s implementation in the mining, energy, and power sectors

Indonesia faces a defining dilemma as a leading coal exporter that remains highly vulnerable to climate change. Without a deliberately managed transition, the burden of shifting energy systems will fall hardest on mining workers and the rural poor. This presentation contends that a just transition is not merely a supplement to decarbonisation policy, but its essential foundation.

The analysis is structured around nine core principles—ranging from participatory governance and social protection to corporate accountability ­alongside their sectoral implementation. It honestly addresses critical challenges: the political economy of coal, the debt-heavy structure of Indonesia’s Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) commitment, and the contradiction of captive coal plants powering nickel smelters.

The session concludes with concrete recommendations for government, industry, and civil society, grounded in the conviction that a just transition is both a moral necessity and an economic advantage.