ASIATODAY.ID, JAKARTA — Climate Rights International (CRI) has urged the Indonesian government to launch a thorough investigation into environmental damage and human rights violations linked to nickel mining and processing operations, particularly in Southeast Sulawesi, Central Sulawesi, and North Maluku — the country’s three largest nickel-producing provinces.
The call was made through a 115-page report titled “Does Anyone Care? The Human, Environmental, and Climate Toll of Indonesia’s Nickel Industry,” released on Thursday, October 16, 2025.
The findings are based on in-depth field research and interviews with 93 local residents living and working around nickel mining areas in the three provinces.
“This is CRI’s third report on Indonesia’s mineral industry,” said Krista Shennum, a CRI researcher, during the report’s presentation in Jakarta.
Environmental and Human Rights Concerns in Indonesia’s Nickel Sector
CRI highlights a series of serious issues arising from nickel mining operations, including air and water pollution, public health risks, loss of livelihoods among fishers and farmers, land grabbing without fair compensation, and threats to Indigenous communities.
The nonprofit organization, which focuses on climate and human rights advocacy, called on the Indonesian government to strengthen law enforcement and environmental governance in the rapidly expanding nickel sector — a key pillar of the country’s downstream industrialization strategy.
CRI’s Key Recommendations to the Indonesian Government
In its report, CRI outlined several policy recommendations aimed at improving accountability and sustainability across the nickel value chain:
1. The Ministry of Environment and Forestry (MoEF) should conduct a transparent, science-based investigation into environmental damage and human rights abuses surrounding nickel mining and processing sites. The findings, CRI emphasized, must be made public and accessible to affected communities.
2. The government should carry out an independent climate impact assessment evaluating greenhouse gas emissions from captive coal plants and other fossil fuel use in nickel production, to better understand cross-border climate implications and intergenerational risks.
3. The Environmental Impact Assessment (AMDAL) process must be strengthened, made transparent, and include meaningful public participation in all stages of mining permit approvals.
4. Authorities should enforce strict penalties on mining companies found violating Indonesia’s Environmental Protection and Management Law (Law No. 32/2009).
5. The Ministry of Forestry should impose a moratorium on mining in protected and primary forests, as well as in areas with high carbon stock or conservation value, and strictly monitor deforestation impacts linked to mining.
Ahead of COP30: Indonesia Urged to Show Climate Leadership
In the lead-up to the COP30 Climate Conference in Brazil, CRI called on Indonesia to demonstrate genuine climate leadership.
“The Indonesian government should announce ambitious, measurable plans to decarbonize captive coal projects and curb deforestation driven by nickel mining,” Shennum stated.
Nickel Industry Under Global ESG Scrutiny
CRI’s report adds to growing international scrutiny over environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices in Indonesia’s nickel industry. While the country has become a global hub for electric vehicle (EV) battery production, the sector continues to grapple with challenges surrounding transparency, sustainability, and human rights compliance.
As international attention intensifies, Indonesian policymakers, companies, and civil society are now under increasing pressure to ensure that nickel industry growth aligns with principles of sustainable development and climate justice. (AT Network)
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