Research reports, policy briefs, working papers, and collaborative investigations on environmental governance and extractive industries.
Research shows that in the area planned for development by PT BTIIG, at least 58 plant species and 64 wildlife species have been identified, including endemic and endangered species. This area also has a high conservation value (HCV) of 3,945 hectares, or more than half of PT BTIIG’s total area.
This study aims to identify and measure the economic value of forests, including their biodiversity and ecosystems, to assess the threats posed by nickel mining activities in Morowali Regency, Central Sulawesi. Central Sulawesi is one of the world’s nickel reserves, an important material in the components of electric vehicle batteries.
This study highlights the overlap between coal mining permits and forest areas in East Kalimantan, which threatens the sustainability of forest ecosystems and biodiversity. As of January 2025, East Kalimantan, which accounts for 38% of the national coal reserves, is burdened with 1.5 million hectares of mining concessions, 29% of which are located in forest ecosystems—including 55,561 hectares of primary forest—some of which overlap with Key Biodiversity Areas. The existence of these permits not only causes deforestation and habitat degradation, but also affects the lives of communities that depend on environmental services from these areas.
Sulawesi is the centre of Indonesia’s nickel industry, but its rapidly growing smelter sector still relies heavily on captive coal-fired power plants, creating significant carbon emissions and environmental impacts. Although the island has enormous renewable energy potential—particularly solar and hydropower—current energy planning remains far below what is needed for industrial decarbonisation. This research examines the gap between renewable energy potential and actual implementation, highlighting the importance of grid interconnection, collaboration between PLN and industry, and a transition roadmap that aligns nickel production with renewable energy development, environmental protection, and net-zero commitments.
This report examines the environmental and human rights impacts of Indonesia’s rapidly expanding nickel industry, focusing on the Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park (IMIP) and Indonesia Weda Bay Industrial Park (IWIP). It highlights the involvement of Taiwanese corporations within opaque global nickel supply chains linked to coal dependency, land conflicts, environmental degradation, and labor abuses. The research argues that greater transparency and corporate accountability are essential to ensuring that the global energy transition does not reproduce social injustice and ecological destruction in critical mineral-producing regions.