Clean air can’t wait
As millions choke on toxic air, the real threat to Indonesia’s lungs isn't just distant wildfires—it's the coal plants and industrial polluters running unchecked right next door.
Indonesia faces a respiratory crisis, with millions suffering from acute respiratory infections (ISPA) as wildfires tear through Sumatra and Kalimantan during dry seasons. However, the health ministry has recorded a sharp increase in ISPA cases, surpassing 15.6 million nationwide this year, a 200,000 rise compared to the same period last year.
This surge extends beyond the fire zones, with Java, particularly West Java and Banten, reporting the highest caseloads, totaling over 1.8 million cases. The culprit behind Indonesia's ongoing respiratory crisis is not solely the distant wildfires, but also the coal plants and industrial polluters operating in densely populated areas.
The Suralaya coal complex in Banten, identified as the most hazardous among Indonesia's 20 primary coal plants, demands immediate attention. If left unchecked, running these 20 facilities through 2050 could lead to up to 156,000 premature deaths. A study on coal power-dependent nickel hubs in Central Sulawesi, Southeast Sulawesi, and North Maluku predicts that by 2030, localized air pollution will cause 5,000 annual deaths and incur economic losses of US$3.42 billion annually.
Energy Ministry Regulation No. 10/2025, which treats coal power plant retirements as optional, undermines Indonesia's clean energy transition, directly compromising public health and the climate.
Written by urgent.news from The Jakarta Post Academia's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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- Clean air can’t wait thejakartapost.com
