PALMOILMAGAZINE, JAKARTA – Environmental advocates in Indonesia are urging all candidates for the 2024-2029 presidential and vice-presidential positions in the upcoming general election to thoroughly evaluate the use of bioenergy in the context of energy transition.
In an online discussion held on Wednesday (10/1/2024) with the theme “Meneropong Bioenergi di Tangan Calon Presiden dan Wakil Presiden 2024-2029,” campaigners from Traction Energy Asia, Trend Asia, and Forest Watch Indonesia (FWI) expressed concerns about the potential adverse effects on the environment caused by two forms of bioenergy that rely on forest materials: biofuel and biomass.
The online discussion was attended by the representatives of Tim Pemenangan Nasional (TPN) from president and vice president candidate number 1 – Anies Baswedan-Muhaimin Iskandar; number 2 – Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka; and number 3 – Ganjar Pranowo-Moh. Mahfud MD. It discussed about energy transition particularly about the climate change impact and warming because of fossil fuel pollution that happens in the world.
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Executive Director of Traction Energy Asia, Tommy Pratama said Indonesia needs to apply low carbon energy as the response to climate change in the globe. But the concerns appear about biofuel energy production that massively takes place that could threaten food security and the rests of forests.
“Depending energy transition on biofuel or bioenergy would trigger competition between food and energy sectors. In the end, it would escalate food prices,” Tommy said, as in the official statement to Palmoilmagazine.com, Thursday (11/1/2024).
Data from Traction Energy Indonesia showed that besides bioenergy, Indonesia still has other renewable energy potentials which are not maximally taken for advantages, such as, wind and solar.
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Manager Program Bioenergi Trend Asia, Amalya Reza Oktaviani said biomass co-firing as the alternative in coal use in steam power plant would cause the loss of biodiversity, forest cult, and have something to do with local food. It could even trigger food crisis.
“We have to re-question for every candidate, what would be their commitment in emission reduction through energy transition,” Amalya questioned. She also told fair energy transition should qualify accountability, transparency, participation principles and protect human rights fairly, ecologically, and economically.
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From forest and area cultivation perspectives, Forest Watch Indonesia (FWI) noted that biomass production for co-firing in 52 steam powerplants in Indonesia would tend to realize deforestation. Forest use to fulfill biomass materials could endanger more than 93 million hectares of natural forests that function as carbon absorber and living space for human.
Anggi Putra Prayoga, Campaign, Advocacy, and Media Manager of FWI told the challenges about forest and area use for food energy and water. Within the note that some energy plantation forest companies have conducted deforestation, FWI encourage every candidate to consider the impacts of biomass projects for co-firing to environment sustainability. (T2)
