The plight of two communities in Indonesia and Vietnam are connected to the political and economic calculations of a player thousands of kilometers away: South Korea.
Category: Special report
Global race for electric car components is threatening indigenous peoples in North Maluku
Indonesia is keen to benefit from the global demand for nickel but seems to be ignoring the social and environmental impact of mining it.
Life and death in Muara Enim, Indonesia’s “dirty energy barn”
In Muara Enim, Indonesia, not only is coal mining not going away, it’s the only livelihood many people know. Meanwhile, a state-backed coal company hardly tolerates locals’ artisanal mines.
COP26: Indonesia to push clear mechanism and realization of climate finance
Indonesia wants to ensure that the commitment of a number of parties to assist the archipelago in adapting and mitigating climate change move beyond just announcements.
Plastic waste threatens phytoplankton population of sea off Ternate
A study reveals that plastic waste is threatening the phytoplankton population in the Sea of Ternate City, North Maluku, and predicts its extinction in the next 20 to 30 years.
Urban dwellers pedaling their way to clear air pollution
The number of cyclists in cities increased significantly during the pandemic. Experts say local administrations should use the trend as an opportunity to upgrade public transportation system in a bid to improve air quality.
In coal-hungry Indonesia, dirty fuels are made ‘renewable’
Indonesia targets zero carbon emissions by 2060 but the country is still heavily dependent on dirty energy, and policies are not friendly to the development of renewable energy.
Communities in Tidore Islands rely on mangroves for remedies
Besides having ecological benefits, mangroves are also used for medicinal purposes and the Tidore Islands community, have been reaping benefit from the plant for generations.
Indonesia’s highest dam sidelines villagers and environment in Purworejo
Farmers in the Central Java district of Purworejo have so far been able to save to build their homes, buy vehicles, and put their children to school, from farming. But the construction of the Benar Dam, freeing some 600 hectares of land, threatens their livelihood.
Down and out in Bandung’s dollar city
In the 1960s, Indonesia’s Bandung experienced a textile boom that brought prosperity and jobs to the area. Today, locals complain of endemic pollution and health problems linked to unscrupulous factories dumping their waste in the city’s waterways.