February 25, 2026 | 07:43 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - More than 50 representatives from environmental civil society organizations, academia, and regulatory bodies gathered on February 24 in Jakarta to support Indonesia's transition toward a just and fair green economy within the energy and metallurgy sectors.
Despite contributing 11.9 percent to the gross domestic product (GDP) in 2023, the energy and metallurgy sectors remain the primary sources of pollution and toxic chemical releases, posing severe risks to the environment and human health.
In 2019, air pollution emerged as the third-highest risk factor for mortality among children under five in Indonesia, underscoring the urgency of addressing this environmental crisis.
Between 2026 and 2030, the European Union (EU) will support six projects aimed at strengthening civil society empowerment in Indonesia regarding a just green transition, gender equality, and the empowerment of women. One such initiative is the Transparent Green Transition Indonesia (TARGET) Project: Empowering CSOs in Indonesia, which seeks to enhance the capacity of environmental organizations to produce robust scientific evidence for more effective advocacy and policy implementation.
Globally, the EU is striving to promote sustainable development across society, the environment, and the economy, ensuring that such progress benefits the majority rather than select groups. The necessity of a just green transition has gained recognition in numerous countries, including Indonesia.
"The sustainability aspects of the energy transition and critical mineral supply chains are not just about the minerals being extracted, but about the lives protected in the process. The health of children, communities, and the environment should not be sacrificed for financial gain alone," stated Yuyun Ismawati of Nexus3 in Jakarta on Wednesday, February 25, 2026.
"Empowering communities ensures that Indonesia's contribution to the global green economy is built on a foundation of environmental health and integrity," she added.
This four-year project, funded by the EU and implemented by the International Pollutants Elimination Network (IPEN) alongside the Nexus3 Foundation and Arnika, will collaborate with Indonesian civil society organizations, particularly in high-impact areas.
The project, Yuyun noted, will strengthen local capacities for pollution monitoring, enabling communities to identify, document, and respond to environmental threats. Furthermore, the initiative will provide targeted support to civil society, local communities, and journalists to facilitate data collection, raise public awareness, and expand access to reliable information to bolster advocacy and guide policy reform.
Indonesia's shift toward a just green economy is reflected in national strategic documents, including the National Long-Term Development Plan (2005-2025), the National Energy Policy (KEN), the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), National Action Plan for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the Master Plan for the Development of National Industry (RIPIN) 2015-2035. However, despite these frameworks, access to specific data regarding pollution sources remains heavily restricted.
To improve monitoring and reporting, non-governmental actors must be equipped with skills in scientific data collection and advocacy. By providing these tools, the TARGET Project aims to reduce toxic exposure and help realize a more sustainable future across the archipelago.
"The green transition is not just about decarbonization. We must also ensure that there is no shift in carbon or toxicity. Strengthening waste management and environmental data transparency are key to ensuring a truly just transition," said I Made Wahyu Widyarsana, Chairman of the Environmental Engineering Bachelor's Program at ITB.
Darmawati Darwis, from the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at Tadulako University, added that the transition will only be truly 'green' if it is based on data integrity and justice for affected regions. "Central Sulawesi should not simply be an object of exploitation for global decarbonization ambitions," she argued.
According to Yuyun, stronger collaboration among academics, government institutions, and the media will not only improve the quality of public discourse but also transform knowledge into meaningful oversight and reforms.
"The launch of the TARGET Project Indonesia emphasizes that the green transition is not just a technical shift, but a governance transformation that demands transparency, accountability, and inclusive participation," she concluded.
Read: Bandung City to Involve Universities in Solving Waste Problems
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