Indonesia questions fairness of Paris climate accord after US withdrawal

Jakarta's special envoy says he considers the agreement no longer relevant for the country

- Stania Puspawardhani

Indonesia has questioned the fairness of the Paris climate agreement after the US announced its withdrawal from the pact, even as green groups in Indonesia look to China to take the lead in climate issues.

Indonesia's special climate change and energy envoy Hashim Djojohadikusumo said at a forum in Jakarta on Jan 31 that he considered the Paris Agreement no longer relevant for the country.

"Indonesia produces three tonnes of carbon while the US produces 13 tonnes, yet we are the ones that were being told to close our power plants and reduce our steam power plants," he said, referring to carbon dioxide emissions per capita.

"So, where is the sense of justice here?"

Noting that switching to clean energy is costly, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia said at a forum on Jan 30: "We saw that even the country that initiated the (climate) agreement has backed off, (so) why do we want to jump off that cliff?"

Nearly 200 countries signed the Paris Agreement in 2015 to limit global warming to 1.5 deg C above pre-industrial levels.

It is not just the Paris Agreement.

The US is also withdrawing from the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) with Indonesia, which promised financing from countries such as the US to help wean the South-east Asian nation off fossil fuels.

This was confirmed by the head of the JETP secretariat in Indonesia, Mr Paul Butarbutar, on Jan 31.