Jakarta, February 1, 2025 – The Europe Today: Indonesia’s special envoy for climate change and energy, Hashim Djojohadikusumo, has expressed doubts over the relevance of the Paris Agreement for Indonesia in light of the United States’ withdrawal from the accord.
Speaking at the ESG Sustainable Forum 2025 in Jakarta on Friday, Djojohadikusumo questioned Indonesia’s continued commitment to the global climate pact when a major emitter like the US refuses to comply.
“If the United States does not want to comply with the international agreement, why should a country like Indonesia comply with it?” he stated.
Djojohadikusumo justified his remarks by comparing carbon emissions, highlighting that the US emits approximately 13 tons of carbon per capita per year, whereas Indonesia produces only 3 tons per capita annually. He criticized the imbalance, arguing that despite significantly lower emissions, Indonesia faces greater pressure to curtail its energy production.
“This is a matter of justice. Indonesia produces 3 tons of carbon while the US produces 13 tons, yet we are the ones being told to close our power plants and reduce our steam power plants. So, where is the sense of justice here?” he remarked.
He further stated that Indonesia is reassessing the implications of the US withdrawal, particularly regarding energy transition projects. Given the current global uncertainties, he emphasized that Indonesia faces significant challenges in implementing such transitions.
“Indonesia always wants to be ‘a good boy.’ But the ‘big boys’ are not necessarily ‘good boys’ either, right?” he said, referencing the role of developed nations in climate commitments.
Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia echoed these concerns, highlighting the financial strain of transitioning to renewable energy. He noted that the US, a key initiator of the Paris Agreement, has withdrawn at a time when funding institutions are reducing support for clean energy projects, thereby complicating Indonesia’s sustainability goals.
Despite these challenges, Indonesia remains committed to its environmental responsibilities and the pursuit of renewable energy.
The US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement was announced by President Donald Trump on January 20, marking his second exit from the accord following his initial withdrawal in 2017. Trump labeled the agreement an “unfair, one-sided Paris climate accord rip-off.”
The Paris Agreement, adopted in 2015 by 195 nations under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, aims to limit global temperature increases to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, with an aspirational goal of 1.5 degrees.
