Four political forces —leadership, technical capacity, media, and popular opinion — characterize the politics of climate change in Indonesia.

Indonesia sits at the center of the global climate challenge. The country pledges to reach net zero by 2060, restore 3.3 million hectares of mangroves, and tap its vast 3,600 gigawatts of renewable potential. Yet it still relies heavily on coal and faces governance problems that complicate progress. Four political forces —leadership, technical capacity, media, and popular opinion — help explain why.

Political Leadership: Ambitious, But Uneven

Indonesia’s new president, Prabowo Subianto, has promised bold steps: 75 gigawatts of renewable energy over 15 years and expanded carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects. He has also launched an $80 billion seawall to protect Java from flooding.

His predecessor, Joko Widodo (Jokowi), secured a $20 billion pledge under the Just Energy Transition Partnership to support the coal phase-out, though disbursements have lagged.

But leadership has also faltered. Recent politically motivated appointments to the forestry sector’s emissions program (“FOLU Net Sink 2030”) have sparked concern about accountability. In March 2025, controversy emerged over political appointees taking leadership roles in a major national climate program aimed at reducing emissions through forestry and land-use measures. Critics highlighted favoritism, limited technical expertise among those appointed, and risks of misusing international donor funds originally intended for conservation. Civil society groups demanded greater accountability and transparency, warning that such practices could derail the country’s 2030 emission-reduction goals and harm its global standing.

Technical Capacity: Strong Ambitions, Patchy Execution

Indonesia has the technical tools to pursue an energy transition. Regulations now enable Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) partnerships with companies like British Petroleum (BP) and International Petroleum Exploration Corporation (INPEX). Renewable resources are abundant, but infrastructure and grid modernization lag.

Forest monitoring and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions tracking also face governance gaps. Without skilled, independent oversight, programs risk becoming symbolic rather than transformative.

Media

A study of over 3,600 online articles (2019–2023) found that government-linked outlet Antaranews published the most climate content, with overwhelmingly positive framing. While this helps amplify climate issues, it often reinforces government narratives rather than asking hard questions.

Given that Indonesia has 191 million social media users, platforms could be powerful tools for deeper storytelling, linking abstract policy goals to everyday climate struggles.

Popular Opinion: Broad Support for Action

Public opinion may be Indonesia’s greatest climate asset.

• 86% of Indonesians want stronger government action, and over half support a rapid transition away from fossil fuels.
• 91% support methane reduction, and 81% believe climate change is human-caused.

Unlike in many countries, climate action is not polarized; Indonesians overwhelmingly want stronger measures.

One Step Forward

To reduce emissions, depoliticizing climate governance should be a priority. Appointments to programs like FOLU Net Sink must be based on expertise, with transparent reporting of results. This would strengthen technical execution, boost donor confidence, and align leadership with popular demand for accountability.

Conclusion

Indonesia has ambitious leaders, growing technical capacity, supportive media platforms, and an engaged public. Yet political interference and uneven governance threaten progress. If transparency and accountability improve, Indonesia’s political forces could become the engine that drives one of the world’s most important climate transitions.

This post was submitted by Climate Scorecard Indonesia Country Manager, Netra Naik.

Edited by Diana Gastelum.