Opinions
Opinion / Sustainable and Livable Planet
Learning from Youth-Led Climate Action: Lessons Learned from Society of Renewable Energy
Zagy Yakana Berian
21 April 2024
In the face of the pressing global climate crisis, the urgency to take meaningful action has never been greater. Despite international commitments and agreements, progress towards crucial targets like the 1.5-degree limit has been sluggish. Recognizing the urgency, 118 countries pledged to triple renewable energy capacity to 11,000 GW by 2030 and enhance energy efficiency at COP 28 in Dubai. However, amidst this challenge, the rise of youth-led initiatives offers a beacon of hope. One such example is the Society of Renewable Energy (SRE) in Indonesia, which demonstrates how small steps, taken with dedication and innovation, can lead to significant impacts in the fight against climate change. The Role of Youth in Climate Action: Youth engagement in climate action is not just about idealism; it's about recognizing the reality that today's youth will be tomorrow's leaders and decision-makers. Their eagerness to learn and their innate ability to connect across various mediums of communication give them a unique advantage in tackling complex issues like climate change. SRE understands this dynamic and harnesses the power of youth by providing platforms for education, collaboration, and action. The modern problem needs to be solved by unique solutions, especially in dealing with GenZ needs. Current and future generations require the bold trigger for deepening their understanding and taking part of the real implementation. The SRE Approach: SRE's approach is multifaceted, blending top-down and bottom-up strategies, sectoral focus, and practical experience. With 47 student chapters across Indonesia and over 3,500 regenerative members, SRE has established itself as a ecosystem for young climate enthusiasts. Through activities ranging from awareness campaigns to hands-on apprenticeship programs, SRE equips its members with the knowledge and skills needed to drive real-world change. There are six programs from full journey experience becoming a green leadership. Bold movement led to big attention: Throughout their five-year journey in climate action, SRE has remained steadfast in their commitment to inclusivity within climate and clean energy advocacy. This dedication has been coupled with a focus on practical experience, allowing members to apply acquired knowledge in real-world contexts, thus bolstering their capabilities in addressing pressing environmental challenges. One of SRE's flagship programs is rural electrification, where renewable energy power plants have been installed in over 80 locations, benefiting thousands of people, including 300 youth actively involved in the process. The method is a grant without return in the future, in other way, they need pay for operational expenditure includes the replacement component and worker. SRE mobile is around million USD from Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and international donors. The other program, SRE's sustainability job platform called HIRE, has helped 20 young individuals secure employment opportunities. The platform is free for every green jobseeker to find their future jobs. These tangible outcomes demonstrate the effectiveness of youth-led initiatives in creating meaningful impact on the ground. The youth established the end-to-end solution in the modern situation. Currently, the accumulated youth impacted by this initiative reached more than 400 thousand people who joined at least a program and a million people who pay attention to youth movement. The youth movement has motivated the government to support youth initiatives and expand collaboration under a larger umbrella involving several governments institutions Green Leadership and Collaboration: SRE is on a mission to nurture a million young leaders under 30, aligning with global needs. These leaders, dubbed "green leaders," will be equipped with specific indicators to monitor their climate and energy knowledge, ranging from basic to advanced levels. Additionally, they will engage in various climate action activities such as conferences, exhibitions, and competitions, as well as participate in social-climate volunteering endeavors like pro-bono consultations and field projects. Moreover, SRE identifies sustainability indicators across different domains, including nature (e.g., carbon reduction, renewable energy capacity, biodiversity conservation), economics (e.g., annual income increments), society (e.g., access to infrastructure), and well-being (e.g., stakeholder partnerships). Embracing a penta-helix collaboration model, SRE fosters holistic partnerships among stakeholders. To ensure progress tracking, a dedicated team consistently monitors activities through digital internal dashboards, supported by student chapter leaders. Communication and Advocacy: In expanding its reach and impact, effective communication plays a pivotal role in rallying support for climate action. SRE recognizes this truth and employs various platforms, such as green podcasts, to share information in a manner that's not only informative but also inviting and enjoyable. Through these podcasts, SRE manages to connect with millions of listeners, igniting within them a shared vision of a sustainable future for Indonesia. Moreover, SRE leverages the power of social media, utilizing eye-catching graphics and short videos to convey their message effectively. This approach not only captures the attention of audiences but also resonates particularly well with Generation Z, who are known for their preference for visually engaging and concise content. By adopting this friendly and accessible approach, SRE fosters a sense of camaraderie and inclusivity, encouraging more individuals to join the movement towards a greener, more sustainable tomorrow. Towards a Sustainable Future: SRE embarked on a journey, starting with small steps, gradually evolving into a venture as social entrepreneurs and eventually transitioning into full-time entrepreneurs within a span of five years. Drawing wisdom from past experiences, SRE now aims to establish green investment funds to aid in supporting advocacy movements by other youth groups. It's evident that a lack of funding often leads to most failures. Hence, SRE looks towards Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) funds, green financing from international financial institutions, and other innovative funding avenues as beacons of hope for the younger generation. In this interconnected ecosystem, support flows both ways. Entry-level groups can lend their support to larger initiatives, fostering an environment where experiences are shared, and growth is nurtured. SRE's ambition is to establish 100 youth groups over the next five years, employing a penta-helix model for collaboration. Government collaboration will be pivotal, serving as crucial partners in connecting with other stakeholders. This partnership must begin with the government supporting targeted initiatives and implementing blended support, combining both efforts and funding to ensure success. Conclusion: In the journey towards mitigating climate change, youth-led initiatives like SRE exemplify the power of incremental progress and collective action. By empowering young people, fostering innovation, and fostering collaboration, these initiatives offer a glimmer of hope in the face of daunting challenges. As we continue this path, let us draw inspiration from the small steps taken by organizations like SRE, knowing that each action brings us closer to a more sustainable and resilient future for all.
Opinion / Green Economy
Indonesia must transform into know-how and technology-driven economy
Aufar Satria
12 Februari 2024
It is indisputable that Indonesia has been grappling with deindustrialization over the past decade: The plummeting of manufacturing contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP) ratio from 27 percent in 2004 to 18 percent in 2022 and the slowing down of the investment-to-GDP ratio from 34 percent in 2013 to 27 percent in 2022. Compared with China, one of the world's fastest investment and manufacturing-driven economies, Indonesia's manufacturing- and investment-to-GDP ratios appear significantly lower, almost half that of China's. Contrary to the perception that China’s strength lies in its low-cost labor, the reality is that China heavily invests in productive assets, particularly advanced manufacturing equipment such as machines, vehicles and appliances. This investment strategy has catalyzed exponential growth in value-added goods and the accumulation of technological “know-how”. As a result, China has achieved remarkably low unit economics in advanced manufactured goods, including solar panels and electric vehicle (EV) batteries, primarily due to extensive “learning by doing”. This approach has led to an “industrial boom”, propelling China's productive economy forward. In stark contrast, approximately 75 percent of Indonesia's investments are channeled into non-productive assets like buildings and other static infrastructure. Consequently, Indonesia’s incremental capital-output ratio (ICOR) has remained steady at around 5-6.5 over the last decade. This trend reflects Indonesia's shift from a producer to a consumer in certain strategic industries despite having abundant natural resources. Indonesia's reliance on imports, which amount to about US$200 billion annually, with approximately 30 percent coming from China, clearly illustrates this issue. Many speculate that China’s investment and manufacturing-driven economy may slow down in the coming years. On the contrary, according to Pettis (2023), to achieve 4-5 percent annual GDP growth, China might need to aggressively expand into other countries' investment and manufacturing sectors, including, most strategically, Indonesia. China’s contribution to global investment is projected to increase to 38 percent over the next decade. As the largest manufacturing country globally, China is expected to augment its share in global manufacturing output to 40 percent in the next 10 years. This trend suggests that Indonesia and other targeted countries may be compelled to become more dependent on China for manufacturing, potentially reducing their investment-to-GDP ratios to below 20 percent. If Indonesia fails to reindustrialize, this scenario is likely to materialize. Indonesia therefore must reassess its growth strategy. One approach for Indonesia is to consider various degrees of industrial protectionism. As Haussman (2023) notes, industrial policies and “picking the winners” strategies are gaining traction globally, with more countries enacting legislation to boost local production. The United States, for instance, has implemented the $280 billion CHIPS and Science Act to expand its semiconductor industry and the $370 billion Inflation Reduction Act for energy-transition incentives, both aimed at reducing dependence on Chinese products in these markets. Haussman (2021) emphasizes that economic development in developing countries heavily relies on the accumulation of know-how. Like the game of Scrabble, each country starts with a set of existing capabilities or “letters” to form “words”, representing products that can be produced and exported. Countries can then collect more “letters” to form additional “words” through strategic partnerships, investments in education and diaspora and other policies. In the last decade, Indonesia has implemented a nickel export ban to incentivize local industrial smelters, an “upstream driven” policy to accumulate more smelter “letters”. President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo highlighted a 30-fold increase in the value of Indonesia's nickel-related exports since the ban's implementation. From the other side of the value chain, the government's “downstream driven” industrial policy, exemplified by EV tax incentives, has attracted major players like BYD to establish production facilities in Indonesia, thereby accumulating more automotive manufacturing “letters”. These initiatives, leveraging Indonesia’s rich natural resources and strategic positioning, are pivotal and should be intensified by accelerating ecosystem, education and skillset building, especially in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). In the coming decades, Indonesia is expected to undergo a demographic transformation, evolving from a young demography to a productive population. Indonesia is facing a race against time in this transition. A rapid build of an ecosystem conducive to attracting and nurturing know-how is essential. This involves establishing policies that retain local talent and attract foreign expertise and investment locally. Indonesia must cultivate an environment fostering innovation, research and development and entrepreneurial spirit. This can be achieved through incentives for high-tech industries, streamlined regulations that facilitate ease of doing business, robust intellectual property rights protection and, most importantly, by building leading, industry-specific, human capital institutions across Indonesia. Another lever is fostering partnerships with international companies and educational institutions, which can bring in a wealth of practical knowledge. Such collaborations can lead to technology transfer, skill development and the creation of high-value industries. This partnership strategy coincides with global economic transitions, including green energy initiatives, digitalization and advancements in artificial intelligence (AI). These developments present a unique opportunity for Indonesia to emerge as contributing, if not leading, in these developing sectors. Eventually, these industrial and downstream initiatives can achieve a multiplier effect beyond the targeted sectors. As a benchmark, Finland initially focused on developing value for its wood industry in paper or policies. It ended up with an advanced phone manufacturing industry, with Nokia at the center. While accumulating know-how in machines that cut wood, Finnish businessmen realized that the capabilities could be translated to automated machines that produce smartphones. This was also the case with the Middle Eastern countries entering into advanced, adjacent industries (i.e., airlines) from oil and gas. If industrial and downstream policies are implemented, Indonesia might develop other unexpected value-adding sectors. Indonesia must transform into an investment, know-how and technology-driven economy. In this vision, investment growth becomes the primary contributor to GDP growth. Such high growth not only creates high-quality job opportunities but also boosts and equalizes incomes in the long term. Large-scale investments targeted efficiently and effectively, and adopting new technologies and leading human capital will enhance economic productivity (ICOR). Ultimately, this cycle will create a strong development loop starting with the competitiveness of Indonesia's industry, maximizing value addition and boosting exports, leading to an industrialized and robust economy set to be enjoyed by future generations – strong enough to not be reliant on the Chinese economy.
Opinion / Sustainable and Livable Planet
COP27: Indonesia can lead the global ‘just’ climate transition
Aufar Satria, Reiner Nathaniel, Zagy Berian, Rauf Usman
9 November 2022
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Opinion / Sustainable and Livable Planet
Green Citizenship dan Green Communication, Cara Jitu Redam Eco-Anxiety
Zagy Yakana Berian
1 Mei 2024
Dampak perubahan iklim yang semakin terasa di berbagai macam belahan dunia, membuat para pemimpin negara berkomitmen menjalankan strategi pembangunan rendah karbon dengan mengurangi emisi dari berbagai macam sektor prioritas. Komitmen mereka tercantum di National Determined Contribution (NDC) dengan 195 negara berkomitmen dalam mengurangi emisinya. Masyarakat mulai sadar akan perubahan iklim dengan bukti ilmiah yang dikeluarkan oleh berbagai macam ilmuan dan diperkuat dengan dokumen Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), salah satu badan PBB yang berkorelasi dengan fakta ilmiah perubahan iklim. Dalam dokumen tersebut, dijelaskan beberapa keadaan yang akan terjadi jika rata-rata kenaikan temperature global diatas 1,5 derajat Celsius diantaranya seperti cuaca ekstrim, banjir bandang, kekeringan, pergeseran keanekaragaman hayati. Lebih dari setengah populasi dunia berada dalam zona berbahaya dampak perubahan iklim. Target tersebut masih dapat dicapai dengan usaha lebih tinggi seperti sektor energi yang memiliki target peningkatan kapasitas energi bersih tiga kali lipat, dan penurunan konsumsi energi dengan penghematan sebanyak dua kali lipat. Dalam dokumen ilmiah karya Madalina Vlasceanu (2024), terdapat rata-rata 86% masyarakat dunia yang percaya mengenai perubahan iklim adalah ancaman serius dan disebabkan oleh manusia. Selain itu, Peter Andre (2024) menyebarkan pertanyaan terhadap 130 ribu individu di 125 negara mengenai perubahan iklim, mereka menyampaikan perlunya dorongan kebijakan pemerintah sesegera mungkin. Dari fenoma ini juga, telah diteliti bahwa masyarakat di negara-negara mengenah kebawah lebih berpotensi ingin membayar untuk pencegahan terhadap perubahan iklim. Sebanyak 83% mengatakan ingin berkontribusi menjadikan fenome menarik, melihat angka tersebut hampir dua kali lipat lebih besar dibandingkan masyarakat yang bersedia di negara UK dan US yaitu 48%. Dengan persentase masyarakat yang sadar akan perubahan iklim, Google memberitahukan kepada Majalah TIME (2023) bahwa pencarian mengenai dampak perubahan iklim dan ketakukan terhadap perubahan iklim meningkat sebesar 4.590% dari 2018 hingga 2023. Terjadi fenoma Eco-Anxiety, ketakukan akan perubahan iklim yang mengganggu Kesehatan mental. Dalam karya Yumiko Coffey, dijelaskan beberapa literatur mengenai eco-anxiety yang hal itu dikutip dan menjadi kepedulian dari beberapa dosen dari universitas ternama yaitu Yale. Sumber ketakutan tersebut karena informasi di media sosial dan media digital lainnya memiliki toneyang terlalu menakutkan menurut penelitian dari Crandon (2022). Media memengaruhi cara pemikiran masyarakat, terutama generasi Z yang mudah menangkap pengaruh buruk hasil dari media sosial berdasarkan laporan McKinsey Health Institute’s (MHI) tahun 2022. Dari penelitian yang dikeluarkan oleh Caroline Hickman dan tim, sebanyak 86% Gen Z merasa takut dan 56% merasa sangat takut atas perubahan iklim yang disebut dengan eco-anxiety. Hal ini didapatkan dari suvey kepada 10 ribu responden dalam rentang umur 16-25 tahun di 10 negara seperti Australia, Brazil, Finlandia, Prancis, India, Nigeria, Filipina, Portugal, UK, dan US. Trend mengenai hal ini perlu ditindak lanjuti, 83% Gen Z di dunia terus menyalahkan manusia terutama pemerintah yang tidak dapat menjaga bumi ini, hal ini berdampak terhadap Kesehatan mental mereka. Para psikolog mengatakan, kecemasan ini lebih tinggi dibandingkan dengan kecemasan terhadap Covid-19 tempo lalu. Melanie Klein, mengatakan ada dua kategori grup dari fenomena ini, yang pertama adalah Paranoid-Schizoid, grup yang memiliki rasa ketakutan dan kerapuhan selain itu kategori grup Depresif, rasa kehilangan dan ketergantungan yang tercipta dalam neurotik manusia. Dalam peneliatan yang dikeluarkan oleh Mara Huang mengenai strategi komunikasi, diberikan contoh responden Bernama Mara, 24 tahun, merasakan kecemasan mendalam saat membayangkan masa depan. “Saya sangat cemas sehingga tidak bisa fokus dalam mengikuti pembelajaran di sekolah, hal itu berdampak terhadap kepercayaan diri untuk bersosial”. Fakultas Kesehatan dari Harvard ikut serta menyoroti isu ini, beberapa rekomendasi yang bisa diberikan kepada generasi muda diantaranya: 1. Memvalidasi rasa ketakutan tersebut dengan cerminan optimisme akan keberhasilan penangangan perubahan iklim 2. Mencoba melibatkan mereka dengan diskusi terhadap solusi yang bisa dilakukan 3. Mengedukasi dengan alternatif mitigasi dan juga rekomendasi solusi perubahan iklim 4. Mengajak untuk gaya hidup ramah lingkungan 5. Mengajak meluangkan waktu dialam Selain itu, peran dari media sangat diperlukan untuk menyaring informasi-informasi mengenai perubahan iklim. Pemerintah, dalam pemberantasan informasi Hoax, diperlukan untuk dapat mengawasi pemberitahuan mengenai perubahan iklim yang begitu ekstrim. Sudah saatnya, generasi peduli lingkungan mulai dibangun sejak bangku sekolah dasar. Konsep Environmental Citizenship, sudah banyak diusung oleh para penliti, salah satunya dari Barry (2006) yang mengatakan konsep ini dapat membangun komunitas yang berkelanjutan dan adaptif terhadap transformasi yang ada berbasis kepercayaan, perilaku, dan Gerakan kolektif untuk menciptakan bumi yang lebih baik lagi. Di Indonesia, sudah banyak generasi muda yang mulai menerapkan hal tersebut salah satunya Society of Renewable Energy (SRE), sudah tersebar di 47 kampus dan membangun generasi muda peduli iklim dan energi. Melalui Langkah nyata, para member yang tergabung merasa optimis target penanganan perubahan iklim mulai tercapai. Program KLHK, memiliki Green Leaders Indonesia (GLI) dan Program KESDM melalui Generation of Renewable Energy Involving Youth Action Academy (GERILYA), merupakan wujud dari Environmental atau Green Citizenship. Generasi muda lebih semangat dan memiliki mental sehat Ketika mengikuti dan terlibat langsung dalam pergerakan iklim. Beberapa opsi yang dapat dikembangkan oleh pemerintah saat ini dapat dibagi menjadi mitigasi dan adaptasi terhadap eco anxiety. Dalam strategi mitigasi, hal-hal ini dapat dilakukan seperti: 1. Mengajak generasi muda berkunjung ke “laboratorium” yang sudah dimiliki masyarakat terhadap bukti nyata penangangan iklim semisal di sektor pertanian, energi, limbah, dan penerapan ekonomi sirkular. 2. Menciptakan green ambassador, yang mempromosikan optimisme dalam penangan iklim dengan strategi komunikasi yang baik. Selain itu, dapat membantu mempromosikan produk hijau dari masyarakat untuk memperluas pasar. 3. Memberikan wadah edukasi formal, yang memberikan edukasi dan menyediakan lapangan untuk berkayar sehingga pelajar dan mahasiswa dapat melakukan aksi nyata dengan penukaran kredit sekolah. Jika tiga poin diatas dilakukan, seminimalnya, GenZ mulai merasakan kenyamanan dan dapat meningkatkan Kesehatan mental mereka. Namun, jika sudah terjadi beberapa hal yang dapat dilakukan sebagai Langkah adaptasi yaitu menyiapkan konseling center terhadap Eco-Anxiety, kolaborasi antara Kementerian Kesehatan dengan Kementerian terkait lainnya seperti KLHK, KESDM, Kementan, Kemenkop UMKM dan Kominfo dalam memberikan konseling ke generasi muda yang memiliki eco-anxiety. Melihat Gerakan dan semangat generasi muda Indonesia, konsep green citizenship dan green media menjadi solusi meredam eco-anxiety sehingga optimisme membangun Indonesia yang tahan terhadap risiko iklim semakin tinggi.
Opinion / Sustainable and Livable Planet
Learning from Youth-Led Climate Action: Lessons Learned from Society of Renewable Energy
Zagy Yakana Berian
21 April 2024
In the face of the pressing global climate crisis, the urgency to take meaningful action has never been greater. Despite international commitments and agreements, progress towards crucial targets like the 1.5-degree limit has been sluggish. Recognizing the urgency, 118 countries pledged to triple renewable energy capacity to 11,000 GW by 2030 and enhance energy efficiency at COP 28 in Dubai. However, amidst this challenge, the rise of youth-led initiatives offers a beacon of hope. One such example is the Society of Renewable Energy (SRE) in Indonesia, which demonstrates how small steps, taken with dedication and innovation, can lead to significant impacts in the fight against climate change. The Role of Youth in Climate Action: Youth engagement in climate action is not just about idealism; it's about recognizing the reality that today's youth will be tomorrow's leaders and decision-makers. Their eagerness to learn and their innate ability to connect across various mediums of communication give them a unique advantage in tackling complex issues like climate change. SRE understands this dynamic and harnesses the power of youth by providing platforms for education, collaboration, and action. The modern problem needs to be solved by unique solutions, especially in dealing with GenZ needs. Current and future generations require the bold trigger for deepening their understanding and taking part of the real implementation. The SRE Approach: SRE's approach is multifaceted, blending top-down and bottom-up strategies, sectoral focus, and practical experience. With 47 student chapters across Indonesia and over 3,500 regenerative members, SRE has established itself as a ecosystem for young climate enthusiasts. Through activities ranging from awareness campaigns to hands-on apprenticeship programs, SRE equips its members with the knowledge and skills needed to drive real-world change. There are six programs from full journey experience becoming a green leadership. Bold movement led to big attention: Throughout their five-year journey in climate action, SRE has remained steadfast in their commitment to inclusivity within climate and clean energy advocacy. This dedication has been coupled with a focus on practical experience, allowing members to apply acquired knowledge in real-world contexts, thus bolstering their capabilities in addressing pressing environmental challenges. One of SRE's flagship programs is rural electrification, where renewable energy power plants have been installed in over 80 locations, benefiting thousands of people, including 300 youth actively involved in the process. The method is a grant without return in the future, in other way, they need pay for operational expenditure includes the replacement component and worker. SRE mobile is around million USD from Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and international donors. The other program, SRE's sustainability job platform called HIRE, has helped 20 young individuals secure employment opportunities. The platform is free for every green jobseeker to find their future jobs. These tangible outcomes demonstrate the effectiveness of youth-led initiatives in creating meaningful impact on the ground. The youth established the end-to-end solution in the modern situation. Currently, the accumulated youth impacted by this initiative reached more than 400 thousand people who joined at least a program and a million people who pay attention to youth movement. The youth movement has motivated the government to support youth initiatives and expand collaboration under a larger umbrella involving several governments institutions Green Leadership and Collaboration: SRE is on a mission to nurture a million young leaders under 30, aligning with global needs. These leaders, dubbed "green leaders," will be equipped with specific indicators to monitor their climate and energy knowledge, ranging from basic to advanced levels. Additionally, they will engage in various climate action activities such as conferences, exhibitions, and competitions, as well as participate in social-climate volunteering endeavors like pro-bono consultations and field projects. Moreover, SRE identifies sustainability indicators across different domains, including nature (e.g., carbon reduction, renewable energy capacity, biodiversity conservation), economics (e.g., annual income increments), society (e.g., access to infrastructure), and well-being (e.g., stakeholder partnerships). Embracing a penta-helix collaboration model, SRE fosters holistic partnerships among stakeholders. To ensure progress tracking, a dedicated team consistently monitors activities through digital internal dashboards, supported by student chapter leaders. Communication and Advocacy: In expanding its reach and impact, effective communication plays a pivotal role in rallying support for climate action. SRE recognizes this truth and employs various platforms, such as green podcasts, to share information in a manner that's not only informative but also inviting and enjoyable. Through these podcasts, SRE manages to connect with millions of listeners, igniting within them a shared vision of a sustainable future for Indonesia. Moreover, SRE leverages the power of social media, utilizing eye-catching graphics and short videos to convey their message effectively. This approach not only captures the attention of audiences but also resonates particularly well with Generation Z, who are known for their preference for visually engaging and concise content. By adopting this friendly and accessible approach, SRE fosters a sense of camaraderie and inclusivity, encouraging more individuals to join the movement towards a greener, more sustainable tomorrow. Towards a Sustainable Future: SRE embarked on a journey, starting with small steps, gradually evolving into a venture as social entrepreneurs and eventually transitioning into full-time entrepreneurs within a span of five years. Drawing wisdom from past experiences, SRE now aims to establish green investment funds to aid in supporting advocacy movements by other youth groups. It's evident that a lack of funding often leads to most failures. Hence, SRE looks towards Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) funds, green financing from international financial institutions, and other innovative funding avenues as beacons of hope for the younger generation. In this interconnected ecosystem, support flows both ways. Entry-level groups can lend their support to larger initiatives, fostering an environment where experiences are shared, and growth is nurtured. SRE's ambition is to establish 100 youth groups over the next five years, employing a penta-helix model for collaboration. Government collaboration will be pivotal, serving as crucial partners in connecting with other stakeholders. This partnership must begin with the government supporting targeted initiatives and implementing blended support, combining both efforts and funding to ensure success. Conclusion: In the journey towards mitigating climate change, youth-led initiatives like SRE exemplify the power of incremental progress and collective action. By empowering young people, fostering innovation, and fostering collaboration, these initiatives offer a glimmer of hope in the face of daunting challenges. As we continue this path, let us draw inspiration from the small steps taken by organizations like SRE, knowing that each action brings us closer to a more sustainable and resilient future for all.
Opinion / Green Economy
Indonesia must transform into know-how and technology-driven economy
Aufar Satria
12 Februari 2024
It is indisputable that Indonesia has been grappling with deindustrialization over the past decade: The plummeting of manufacturing contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP) ratio from 27 percent in 2004 to 18 percent in 2022 and the slowing down of the investment-to-GDP ratio from 34 percent in 2013 to 27 percent in 2022. Compared with China, one of the world's fastest investment and manufacturing-driven economies, Indonesia's manufacturing- and investment-to-GDP ratios appear significantly lower, almost half that of China's. Contrary to the perception that China’s strength lies in its low-cost labor, the reality is that China heavily invests in productive assets, particularly advanced manufacturing equipment such as machines, vehicles and appliances. This investment strategy has catalyzed exponential growth in value-added goods and the accumulation of technological “know-how”. As a result, China has achieved remarkably low unit economics in advanced manufactured goods, including solar panels and electric vehicle (EV) batteries, primarily due to extensive “learning by doing”. This approach has led to an “industrial boom”, propelling China's productive economy forward. In stark contrast, approximately 75 percent of Indonesia's investments are channeled into non-productive assets like buildings and other static infrastructure. Consequently, Indonesia’s incremental capital-output ratio (ICOR) has remained steady at around 5-6.5 over the last decade. This trend reflects Indonesia's shift from a producer to a consumer in certain strategic industries despite having abundant natural resources. Indonesia's reliance on imports, which amount to about US$200 billion annually, with approximately 30 percent coming from China, clearly illustrates this issue. Many speculate that China’s investment and manufacturing-driven economy may slow down in the coming years. On the contrary, according to Pettis (2023), to achieve 4-5 percent annual GDP growth, China might need to aggressively expand into other countries' investment and manufacturing sectors, including, most strategically, Indonesia. China’s contribution to global investment is projected to increase to 38 percent over the next decade. As the largest manufacturing country globally, China is expected to augment its share in global manufacturing output to 40 percent in the next 10 years. This trend suggests that Indonesia and other targeted countries may be compelled to become more dependent on China for manufacturing, potentially reducing their investment-to-GDP ratios to below 20 percent. If Indonesia fails to reindustrialize, this scenario is likely to materialize. Indonesia therefore must reassess its growth strategy. One approach for Indonesia is to consider various degrees of industrial protectionism. As Haussman (2023) notes, industrial policies and “picking the winners” strategies are gaining traction globally, with more countries enacting legislation to boost local production. The United States, for instance, has implemented the $280 billion CHIPS and Science Act to expand its semiconductor industry and the $370 billion Inflation Reduction Act for energy-transition incentives, both aimed at reducing dependence on Chinese products in these markets. Haussman (2021) emphasizes that economic development in developing countries heavily relies on the accumulation of know-how. Like the game of Scrabble, each country starts with a set of existing capabilities or “letters” to form “words”, representing products that can be produced and exported. Countries can then collect more “letters” to form additional “words” through strategic partnerships, investments in education and diaspora and other policies. In the last decade, Indonesia has implemented a nickel export ban to incentivize local industrial smelters, an “upstream driven” policy to accumulate more smelter “letters”. President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo highlighted a 30-fold increase in the value of Indonesia's nickel-related exports since the ban's implementation. From the other side of the value chain, the government's “downstream driven” industrial policy, exemplified by EV tax incentives, has attracted major players like BYD to establish production facilities in Indonesia, thereby accumulating more automotive manufacturing “letters”. These initiatives, leveraging Indonesia’s rich natural resources and strategic positioning, are pivotal and should be intensified by accelerating ecosystem, education and skillset building, especially in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). In the coming decades, Indonesia is expected to undergo a demographic transformation, evolving from a young demography to a productive population. Indonesia is facing a race against time in this transition. A rapid build of an ecosystem conducive to attracting and nurturing know-how is essential. This involves establishing policies that retain local talent and attract foreign expertise and investment locally. Indonesia must cultivate an environment fostering innovation, research and development and entrepreneurial spirit. This can be achieved through incentives for high-tech industries, streamlined regulations that facilitate ease of doing business, robust intellectual property rights protection and, most importantly, by building leading, industry-specific, human capital institutions across Indonesia. Another lever is fostering partnerships with international companies and educational institutions, which can bring in a wealth of practical knowledge. Such collaborations can lead to technology transfer, skill development and the creation of high-value industries. This partnership strategy coincides with global economic transitions, including green energy initiatives, digitalization and advancements in artificial intelligence (AI). These developments present a unique opportunity for Indonesia to emerge as contributing, if not leading, in these developing sectors. Eventually, these industrial and downstream initiatives can achieve a multiplier effect beyond the targeted sectors. As a benchmark, Finland initially focused on developing value for its wood industry in paper or policies. It ended up with an advanced phone manufacturing industry, with Nokia at the center. While accumulating know-how in machines that cut wood, Finnish businessmen realized that the capabilities could be translated to automated machines that produce smartphones. This was also the case with the Middle Eastern countries entering into advanced, adjacent industries (i.e., airlines) from oil and gas. If industrial and downstream policies are implemented, Indonesia might develop other unexpected value-adding sectors. Indonesia must transform into an investment, know-how and technology-driven economy. In this vision, investment growth becomes the primary contributor to GDP growth. Such high growth not only creates high-quality job opportunities but also boosts and equalizes incomes in the long term. Large-scale investments targeted efficiently and effectively, and adopting new technologies and leading human capital will enhance economic productivity (ICOR). Ultimately, this cycle will create a strong development loop starting with the competitiveness of Indonesia's industry, maximizing value addition and boosting exports, leading to an industrialized and robust economy set to be enjoyed by future generations – strong enough to not be reliant on the Chinese economy.
Opinion / Green Economy
Program Ekonomi Hijau Capres-Cawapres 2024, Make or Break Masa Depan Indonesia
Aufar Satria, Novi Andriyanto
3 November 2023
Pilpres 2024 merupakan salah satu momen krusial menuju periode penting tahun 2025-2029. Pemimpin terpilih akan menghadapi periode?make or break,?yang akan menentukan posisi Indonesia dalam peta jalan menuju negara maju. Di tengah momentum yang penting ini, Indonesia juga dihadapkan pada tantangan krisis iklim, yang mendisrupsi perekonomian global. PBB melalui berbagai inisiatifnya, seperti United Nations Framework on Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC) dan forum Conference of The Parties (COP), mendorong seluruh negara di dunia untuk melakukan aksi dekarbonisasi. Tak terkecuali, Indonesia. Transisi menuju dekarbonisasi bukanlah sesuatu yang mudah. Mengingat salah satu pilarnya adalah menggantikan sebagian porsi energi bahan bakar fosil, dengan energi baru terbarukan (EBT). Namun, tak bisa dipungkiri, bahan bakar fosil masih menjadi salah satu sumber energi yang paling ekonomis dan andal untuk mendukung pertumbuhan ekonomi. Apalagi, saat ini, EBT masih menghadapi berbagai tantangan seperti biaya dan risiko investasi yang besar, serta suplai energi yang intermiten. Sebagai negara berkembang dengan PDB per kapita yang masih menempati peringkat 98 dunia, Indonesia menghadapi dilema ganda: mendorong pertumbuhan ekonomi yang optimal, sekaligus mengintegrasikan upaya dekarbonisasi. Tidak mudahnya menyelaraskan upaya dekarbonisasi dengan pembangunan, mengakibatkan munculnya pendapat yang menyebut?Indonesia mestinya memprioritaskan berbagai isu lain yang lebih mendasar. Seperti eradikasi kemiskinan, penciptaan lapangan kerja, pengembangan industri, dan pemerataan pembangunan. Terlepas dari dilema dekarbonisasi di Indonesia, seluruh pasangan capres-cawapres merancang strategi dekarbonisasi dan ekonomi hijau, mulai dari peningkatan kapasitas EBT, pengaplikasian ekonomi sirkuler, hingga inisiasi proyek mikro-menengah seperti pengelolaan limbah di pedesaaan. Apakah strategi-strategi tersebut akan menghambat pencapaian pembangunan? Soal ini, Profesor Ricardo Hausmann dari?Harvard University, Amerika Serikat (AS)?berpendapat, "pertumbuhan hijau"?atau?green growth, memainkan peran yang sangat krusial sebagai salah satu pilar perkembangan ekonomi suatu negara. Menurutnya, dekarbonisasi dapat mengubah lanskap perekonomian dan strategi pertumbuhan secara global. Dengan dituntutnya seluruh negara, perusahaan, maupun individu untuk melakukan dekarbonisasi, permintaan atas produk dan jasa baru yang lebih “hijau” akan meningkat. Salah satu studi Oxford Economics menyebutkan, transisi ke dunia yang lebih hijau membutuhkan produk dan jasa yang baru dengan potensi nilai ekonomi sebesar 10 triliun dolar AS atau sebesar 5 persen PDB dunia di tahun 2050. Untuk mengambil potensi ekonomi tersebut, suatu negara harus mempunyai peran srategis di dalam rantai nilai ekonomi hijau. Sebagai contoh, China?yang merupakan produsen dari 80 persen?suplai panel surya dunia, saat ini mendapatkan manfaat ekonomi yang besar dari ekspor produk EBT. Di sisi lain, negara importir panel surya, seperti Indonesia, akan semakin menggantungkan upaya dekarbonisasinya pada negara produsen. Jika Indonesia tidak mampu mengubah peran dari?konsumen menjadi produsen dalam ekonomi hijau, dekarbonisasi hanya akan dianggap sebagai beban dengan nilai tambah ekonomi yang minimal. Untuk menjadi produsen ekonomi hijau di kancah global, Indonesia sebetulnya?telah memiliki beberapa keunggulan kompetitif. Pertama, Indonesia memiliki potensi energi baru dan terbarukan yang masif, dari mulai potensi energi panas bumi, sinar matahari, maupun sumber daya air. Indonesia mempunyai peluang untuk menjadi pusat pengembangan teknologi EBT dan produk “hijau” lainnya seperti?green hydrogen. Kedua, Indonesia adalah salah satu negara dengan cadangan nikel terbesar di dunia, mineral yang dibutuhkan untuk pengembangan industri baterai. Ketiga, Indonesia merupakan negara dengan keanekaragaman hayati tertinggi nomor dua di dunia. Dengan potensi alam yang besar, Indonesia dapat mengembangkan banyak proyek ekonomi hijau berbasis hayati. Pengembangan industri hijau dapat menjadi sumber pertumbuhan bagi perekonomian Indonesia, melalui penciptaan lapangan pekerjaan baru (green jobs) dan peningkatan ekspor produk hijau (green products). Terlebih lagi, kapabilitas yang didapatkan dari pengembangan industri hijau bisa dimanfaatkan untuk mengembangkan industri lainnya. Sebagai contoh, pengetahuan, keahlian, dan teknologi yang didapat dari pengembangan industri manufaktur baterai dapat digunakan untuk membangun industri produk elektronik lainnya. Akumulasi berbagai kapabilitas industri baru berbasis teknologi dan sumber daya manusia juga dapat membantu Indonesia melepaskan ketergantungannya terhadap produk hulu sumber daya alam. Jika dilihat dari visi dan misi mereka, para capres dan cawapres mencantumkan pertumbuhan hijau dalam kerangka program kerja yang akan dilaksanakan. Namun, perlu diingat, tantangan selanjutnya adalah mengubah paradigma ekonomi hijau dari sekadar janji manis. Serta?mengoperasionalkannya menjadi strategi industrialisasi yang konkret dan berkelanjutan. Ada beberapa tahapan yang bisa menjadi pertimbangan para capres dan cawapres dalam mengembangkan strategi industrialisasi hijau. Hal pertama yang dapat dilakukan adalah memprioritaskan?kapabilitas teknologi, jasa, atau produk “hijau” yang ingin dikembangkan. Ini bisa dimulai dengan memetakan kapabilitas industri Indonesia saat ini. Termasuk,?sumber daya alam dan manusia?yang dapat mendukung pengembangan industri “hijau.” Dalam konteks ini, yang perlu dipertimbangkan adalah?nilai tambah pengembangan kapabilitas tersebut terhadap perekonomian Indonesia. Atau dengan kata lain, sejauh mana pengembangan kapabilitas tersebut dapat menjadi katalis bagi Indonesia, untuk melakukan diversifikasi ke industri lainnya. Tahun 2023, Growth Lab Harvard University mengidentifikasi beberapa sektor prioritas?dalam rantai suplai ekonomi hijau di Indonesia, yang relatif lebih mudah untuk dikembangkan dan memberikan nilai tambah yang tinggi. Hasil analisisnya menyebutkan, manufaktur baterai, carbon capture, komponen transmisi dan distribusi listrik, magnet neodymium, and semikonduktor adalah sektor yang harus diprioritaskan. Tahapan selanjutnya adalah menyiapkan langkah strategis untuk mengakusisi dan mengakumulasi kapabilitas, tenaga kerja, dan aset yang dibutuhkan untuk mengembangkan industri prioritas tersebut. Kebijakan publik yang tidak mengakomodir akumulasi kapabilitas produksi, dapat menjadi penghambat berkembangnya sebuah industri. Memastikan?transfer knowledge?dari negara lain, pengembangan jejaring diaspora, perluasan program riset, serta?joint venture?dengan perusahaan asing adalah beberapa langkah yang dapat dilakukan, untuk memastikan proses akumulasi kapabiltas. Dengan besarnya potensi yang bisa diambil, dekarbonisasi tidak selalu berseberangan dengan pertumbuhan ekonomi. Lebih dari itu, ekonomi hijau justru dapat menjadi sumber pertumbuhan yang potensial dan penggerak pembangunan. Siapa pun presiden dan wakil presiden terpilih dalam Pemilu 2024, harus dapat merancang inisiatif konkret?dalam merealisasikan konsep?green growth,?dan memberikan dukungan kebijakan yang maksimal terhadap ekonomi hijau. Mengingat masa depan kemajuan Indonesia ditentukan dalam beberapa tahun ke depan, memprioritaskan ekonomi hijau adalah suatu keniscayaan.
Opinion / Green Economy
Industrial decarbonisation: the missing piece of Indonesia’s road to net zero
Aufar Satria, Rauf Usman
26 Oktober 2023
Indonesia contributes to 5 per cent of CO2e emissions globally, making the country a critical actor in the global fight against climate change. We joined forces with global actors starting with the 2015 Paris Agreement, recognising that we must curb the global average temperature below 1.5 degrees Celsius from all parts of the economic value chain compared to pre-industrial levels. One of the most significant parts of the economic value chain is industrial processes, such as steel and cement production, which are energy-intensive. In fact, Indonesia’s emissions from industry (20 per cent) are higher than electricity (14 per cent), according to Breakthrough Energy. When we zoom in on heavy industries, they are responsible for nearly 40 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions. Industrial processes, mainly in steel, cement, and petrochemicals, require much energy, mainly from heating, producing a huge amount of greenhouse gas emissions. For example, steelmaking uses fossil fuels for burning, such as coal, to convert iron ore into more refined materials. In addition, the chemical process for producing the commodities also emits greenhouse gas. The cement industry releases carbon dioxide as the natural part of the production process, a byproduct of heating the limestone to produce the cement’s primary component. As a fast-growing country in terms of GDP, Indonesia’s heavy industrial activities (mainly steel and cement) have proliferated over the past decade. It is poised to become one of the top 3 global heavy industry commodity producers. According to the Indonesian Iron and Steel Industry Association, the country’s steel production capacity is expected to reach 40 million tons annually by 2025, up from 20 million tons in 2019. The country is already the fourth-largest cement producer in the world, and its production capacity is expected to increase further in the coming years. According to the Global Cement Directory, Indonesia’s cement production capacity was 109 million tons in 2020 and was expected to reach 120 million tons by 2022. Indonesia’s abundant natural resources, such as iron ore and limestone, drive this. Without greening of the heavy industries, this will become a major source of greenhouse gas emissions for Indonesia in the future. Science points out that the transition towards sustainable practices in heavy industries such as steel and cement production is a challenging task. It is called one of the ‘hard to abate’ sectors for reasons. Its high heat requirement, mainly met through fossil fuel combustion, results in high greenhouse gas emissions. Moreover, the capital intensity of these industries is significant, with a long asset life, making it challenging to adopt more sustainable technologies and infrastructure, as much money is required—an investment that, without incentive, has unclear monetary benefits. These are exacerbated because the Indonesian steel and cement industry is primarily dominated by profit-seeking and private companies that operate on low-profit margins due to intense competition in the global market. Any change in demand patterns can significantly impact the profitability of these industries, making it difficult to invest in sustainable practices. Additionally, these industries face competition from cheaper producers in other countries, leading to a potential loss of market share if they increase their prices to cover the cost of transitioning to greener technologies. The transition to sustainable practices also requires significant investment in research and development, which is hard to finance without government or supporting entities’ incentives. In light of this, Indonesian companies and the government have begun implementing decarbonisation initiatives in the heavy industry sector, albeit still insufficient. In the cement industry, companies are implementing waste heat recovery systems, which capture the heat generated during production and repurpose it to generate electricity. Some have installed a waste heat recovery system in their plants. In addition, companies are also exploring alternative fuels, such as biomass and municipal waste, as a substitute for fossil fuels. In the steel industry, companies are implementing energy-efficient technologies, such as electric arc furnaces, which use electricity instead of fossil fuels to produce steel. Companies have installed an electric arc furnace, which has helped reduce its carbon footprint significantly if the source of power is from renewables. Hydrogen as a substitute for coal in the steel production process is also being explored. From the government side, the Indonesian Ministry of Industry has released Green Industry Standards for the cement industry and several other heavy industry sectors, which set caps on the energy used to produce one ton of product. Future developments of these standards and the implementation of additional mechanisms to accelerate decarbonisation, such as the carbon tax, are anticipated. However, the above initiatives are still in their early stages, as decarbonising Indonesia’s steel and cement industry requires a concerted effort from policymakers, industry players, and other stakeholders. Here are four recommendations on how to decarbonise the steel and cement industries in Indonesia: • Establish more concrete policy support and pathways: The government should establish clear policy support and pathways to facilitate the decarbonisation of the steel, cement, and petrochemical industries. This includes setting emissions reduction targets and strategies specific for each sector and company, implementing carbon pricing mechanisms, and providing incentives for adopting green technologies—all are still in the gray area today. • Leverage international finance institutions: Companies and the government can leverage International Finance Institutions, such as the World Bank, International Finance Corporation (IFC), and Asian Development Bank (ADB), to lower investment risk and subsidise green premiums. These institutions can provide financing for green technology adoption, and their support can help reduce the cost of capital for green projects. In addition, they can provide technical support to lower the risk of adoption of green technologies with capacity building and technology standards. • Build green steel, cement, and petrochemicals demand: To reduce the “green premium” on low-carbon products, the industry needs to build green product demand by promoting the benefits of using low-carbon steel, cement, and petrochemical products. This can be achieved through the government’s and companies’ public awareness campaigns, green procurement policies, and certification schemes. • Partner with technology solutions providers: The industry can partner with technology solutions providers, such as renewable energy companies, to ease technology adoption. These providers can help the industry adopt renewable energy solutions, energy-efficient technologies, and waste heat recovery systems, which can significantly reduce the industry’s carbon footprint. In addition, more high technology adoption (such as hydrogen) can also be easier to adopt with cutting-edge partners. In conclusion, decarbonising Indonesia’s steel and cement industry requires a multi-faceted approach involving policymakers, industry players, and other stakeholders. This is imperative for achieving net zero for Indonesia—and without realising that decarbonising heavy industry is crucial, Indonesia will face difficulties in its journey towards decarbonisation.
Opinion / Sustainable and Livable Planet
COP27: Indonesia can lead the global ‘just’ climate transition
Aufar Satria, Reiner Nathaniel, Zagy Berian, Rauf Usman
9 November 2022
The United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) in Sharm-el-Sheikh, Egypt, is frequently portrayed as a clash between developing and richer nations, as poorer countries argue that wealthier states should pay more in compensation for damage caused by historical greenhouse-gas emissions. This is a pivotal issue, and a meeting in Germany for the 12th Petersburg Climate Dialogue (PCD12) this summer underlined an enormous rich-poor gulf in which the at-risk climate-sensitive countries, most often developing countries, have a hard time dealing with climate damage. Yet the gloom is overstated, because COP27 also provides a pivotal opportunity for developing and lower-income nations to help show the way in the transition to clean energy, which is critical for developing states, such as Indonesia, in tackling carbon emissions and meeting UN targets on climate-change issues. Transitioning to inclusive green economies will be hard for developing countries whose living standards are well below western levels. Therefore, the transition must be fair, not only for the environment but also for economic prosperity, social justice, rights and social protection for all, ensuring no one is left behind. This is called the climate “just transition”. As we focus on emerging economies, “just transition” provides essential opportunities for a country like Indonesia, a nation of more or less 17,500 islands that faces an existential challenge from rising seas and other catastrophic effects of climate change. Indonesia ranks as the seventh-most vulnerable country to climate-change impact and at the same time ranks eighth in its contribution to the world’s greenhouse-gas emissions. The climate poses both a risk and an opportunity. This transition to clean energy will not be painless or risk-free in any country. Still, risks are mitigated in a nation like Indonesia because we are relatively well-positioned for developing renewables with numerous indigenous sources such as geothermal, solar, wind, hydropower and biofuels. In fact, Indonesia’s projected potential solar-power capacity can reach up to about 190 gigawatts (GW) and is perfect for filling in the supply gaps around Indonesia’s off-grid areas around the archipelago. Nonprofit organizations, governments and private companies have collaborated to install these off-grid solar powers across the country. Additionally, Indonesia is in a unique position in helping to lead the coal phaseout, a key focus of COP27. Thanks to our reliable geothermal sources, we can replace coal as Indonesia’s baseload power. We are situated in the most-active volcanic fault, the Ring of Fire, with an estimated 28 GW potential, representing about 30 percent of global geothermal resources. Indonesia also has massive opportunities for Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) technologies, given the massive indigenous-gas supplies and relatively mature national industries. There are also substantial opportunities in biogas applications given the country’s footprint in agriculture, while Southeast Asian countries are already aiding in facilitating a transition to hydrogen by expanding hydrogen-supply chains; Brunei, for example, has pioneered the supply of liquefied hydrogen to Japan from the port of Muara starting last year. Yet huge challenges remain. Indonesia still needs to catch up in meeting its governmental target of a 23-percent renewable energy-share mix by 2025, with renewables now accounting for 11 percent of the total. To achieve this improvement in the next three years, around US$44.2 billion of power-generation investment would be needed -- and such investment is now held back by stringent local requirements, a monopolized electricity market and a lack of transparency in project procurement. These are key issues that should be addressed. For many years, developed countries fell $10 billion short on the $100 billion per-annum investment pledge for developing countries as investors struggled to find attractive climate projects with the sufficient return, scale, trust and information. State-Owned Enterprises such as Pertamina and PLN, private sectors like Medco Energi and Vale, and nonprofit organizations alike have showcased their projects and discussed them with potential financiers at COP27. Additionally, government officials can be seen at COP27, listening to the issues of financing climate projects from investors, and are very open for discussions on mitigating administrative, fiscal and transparency issues. While these are complex and multifaceted, strong interests in actual-project funding (including blended funding, donors, grants, debt and equity finance) are seen at Sharm El-Sheikh, posing a positive signal for the developing countries’ decarbonization journey. This can mean the beginning of a real solution to developing countries’ crux of fighting climate change: the fulfilment of gaps in funding, primarily by committed, developed countries. While more applicable-financing instruments are still brewing, the Indonesian youth are not waiting in the back line. Several youth representatives attended the COP27 (e.g., the Society of Renewable Energy, International Youth Forestry Association, Youth for Climate Change). The role of young people is critical to ensure the climate “just transition” over the course of this decade, as these future leaders will be closest to the ground in implementing initiatives amongst all civil societies. We are convinced that together we can ensure a “just transition” to a more sustainable world, with developing countries like Indonesia driving rather than riding in the back seat -- supported by the developed countries. COP27 is a critical junction for launching such an achievement
Opinion / Green Energy
Ekosistem Desentralisasi Energi Kunci Ekonomi Berdikari
Zagy Yakana Berian
19 Juli 2022
Indonesia harus mulai mengatasi kesenjangan ekonomi untuk meningkatkan taraf hidup masyarakat khususnya di pedesaan. Bayangkan, potensi yang besar dari alam ini ditranslasi menjadi sebuah aktivitas ekonomi. Bicara hal ini, tentu masyarakat yang ada di desa memiliki banyak sekali aktivitas ekonomi yang didapat dari alam. Namun sayangnya, banyak sekali keterbatasan yang menyebabkan aktivitas ekonomi itu sulit berkembang atau bahkan tidak berkembang. Tidak adanya ekosistem penunjang kegiatan tersebut seperti akses energi, infrastruktur, dan pendampingan menjadi isu yang dihadapi oleh masyarakat desa. Bayangkan, ketahanan pangan di Indonesia benar-benar selalu tercapai karena dorongan potensi desa. Pak Tono, tokoh desa di suatu pulau di Indonesia, yang harus mencari bahan bakar solar dengan jarak yang jauh hingga harus menyeberangi lautan demi bisa menghidupkan pompa diesel untuk mencari sesuap nasi. Jika dihitung dari durasi waktu perjalanan, hal tersebut tiga kali lebih lama dari durasi kerja yang dilakukan. Hal tersebut terus berulang sehingga pendapatan tidak dapat mencukupi kebutuhan perkembangan zaman. Selain itu, kesulitan air baik itu air bersih atau air untuk sanitasi pada masyarakat desa menjadi penghambat dalam aktivitas mereka. Bayangkan saja, memasak air dari sungai menggunakan kayu bakar hingga berjam-jam menjadi kegiatan rutin mereka untuk dapat mencukupi kebutuhan air bersih. Serta, sanitasi yang belum layak akibat air yang sulit didapat oleh masyarakat. Energi menjadi salah satu pilar utama untuk meningkatkan aktivitas ekonomi masyarakat, tidak hanya itu sistemnya harus desentralisasi energi agar setiap daerah memiliki energi masing-masing yang sesuai dengan potensi setempat. Melalui Energi Baru Terbarukan (EBT) yang bisa disebar dan menjangkau daerah yang sulit terjangkau untuk dapat memberikan akses energi terutama listrik. Karakteristik EBT yang tersedia dari alam, berkelanjutan, dan dapat dimanfaatkan seluruh orang menjadi kunci untuk ekosistem tersebut. Manfaat EBT sudah banyak diterapkan di dunia seperti contoh pemanfaatan panel surya di Afrika Selatan. Selain itu di Indonesia, pemanfaatan EBT untuk melistriki daerah 3T (Terdepan, Terpencil, dan Tertinggal) menjadi pembuktian manfaat yang menunjang aktivitas masyarakat. Komponen dalam ekosistem tersebut di antaranya inovasi teknologi, solusi pendanaan, akses ke pasar penjualan, peningkatan kapabilitas tenaga kerja daerah, dan kebijakan yang mendukung dalam pengembangan aktivitas di pedesaan. Hal utama yang harus dilakukan adalah memberikan wawasan dalam peningkatan ekonomi kepada masyarakat seperti cara mengembangkan peternakan, pertanian, akses air bersih dan juga listrik sehingga mereka mampu mengoptimalisasi waktu dan tenaga mereka dalam beraktivitas. Kunci utama dalam pengembangan hal itu adalah teknologi atau solusi yang tepat guna, seperti irigasi berbasis panel surya, gas dari kotoran hewan, desalinasi air berbasis panel surya, dan juga peralatan lainnya yang energi nya didapat dari EBT. Teknologi tepat guna itu harus mampu diserap oleh masyarakat dengan bantuan pendampingan dan juga pengembangan. Diperlukan bantuan dari komunitas lokal yang juga mampu membantu penyebaran wawasan tersebut, terlebih generasi muda yang memiliki semangat dan kapabilitas yang cukup dalam menjangkau masyarakat tersebut. Belajar dari SELCO Foundation, lembaga non pemerintah dari India yang berhasil menciptakan proyek beserta ekosistem untuk 65 sistem aplikatif yang ada di India. Selama 5 tahun, mereka dapat membantu lebih dari 2.000 UMKM di India. G20 Indonesia harus menjadi momentum bagi pemerintah Indonesia untuk dapat bisa mengakselerasi ekonomi desa, karena pemerintah memiliki peranan penting sebagai key enabler terciptanya ekosistem tersebut. Terakhirnya, pendampingan kepada masyarakat menjadi tonggak besar yang harus dilakukan. Maka, transisi energi yang berkeadilan bukan menjadi suatu wacana belaka melainkan suatu roadmap besar yang bisa diimplementasikan.
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