Coal-dependent regions have much experience to share on the energy transition, write two authors from China and Indonesia
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On a field trip to Shanxi to find common ground between Indonesia and China’s journeys towards a coal-free future. Pictured is Muhammad Aulia Anis, green economy program officer for Indonesian energy think-tank IESR (Image: Yifan Liu / People of Asia for Climate solutions)
Putra and I come from regions facing strikingly similar paths in the global energy transition.
My hometown is in Shanxi province, northern China, while Putra’s family is from South Sumatra and he has lived in East Kalimantan, both provinces of Indonesia. They are the largest coal-producing provinces in their respective countries and coal has been an economic backbone for decades. The sector supports hundreds of thousands of workers. However, within the next three decades, as both countries reduce coal dependency and pivot towards cleaner energy sources, 90% of these coal jobs are expected to disappear.
These regions will need significant investment and human resources to accelerate structural and just transitions in their industries and labour forces.
Coming from non-profits focused on decarbonisation and just transition issues, Putra and I realised that achieving a coal-free and decarbonised future requires us to learn from and share with each other.
Putra is based in Jakarta and works at the Energy Shift Institute (ESI), while I work at the Manila-based People of Asia for Climate Solutions (Pacs).
In late July 2024, Pacs co-hosted a field trip to Shanxi to find synergies between China and Indonesia’s major coal-producer provinces. Together, attendees from both countries, who work in government, civil society groups, universities and think-tanks, mapped out imagined pathways to a coal-free future for the two countries. I believe such dialogues are more valuable than ever, given today’s geopolitical uncertainties and the continued growth of CO2 emissions.
Below, Putra and I reflect on some important lessons that came out of the trip.
