PRESS RELEASE
Natural Resources and Climate Justice Program — Tifa Foundation
Jakarta, October 24, 2025 – As the deadline approaches for Indonesia to submit its Second Nationally Determined Contribution (SNDC) to the global climate forum, the Tifa Foundation urges the Indonesian government to ensure that the submitted SNDC is not only ambitious in its mitigation targets but also grounded in social and ecological justice and the principle of transparency. The SNDC document plays a crucial role in determining the direction of national development. Therefore, the Tifa Foundation emphasizes that climate mitigation and adaptation efforts must not come at the expense of people’s rights, particularly those of vulnerable groups and indigenous communities.
“Indonesia’s climate commitments will only be strong if they are grounded in social and ecological justice for all people. The Tifa Foundation calls on the government to make substantial improvements to the SNDC to safeguard civil society’s rights and ensure public accountability,” said Firdaus Cahyadi, Program Officer for Natural Resources and Climate Justice at the Tifa Foundation.
There are four pillars of justice that must be integrated into the SNDC. First, halting evictions carried out in the name of energy transition projects or greenhouse gas (GHG) emission mitigation. “Tifa emphasizes that emission mitigation projects, including renewable energy, must not be used as a pretext to deprive communities of their living spaces,” said Firdaus Cahyadi. “Evictions carried out in the name of ‘energy transition’ are actions that will weaken communities’ capacity to adapt to the climate crisis. The SNDC must ensure that mitigation actions do not damage or weaken the adaptive capacity of local and indigenous communities.”
Second, making the SNDC a binding development framework. “The SNDC must not merely be a cosmetic diplomatic report,” he emphasized. “The Tifa Foundation demands that this document serve as a binding guide for all sectors and ministries to shift away from extractive and exploitative development models. Failure to make the development model binding will render the SNDC’s climate ambitions futile.”
Third, absolute transparency and follow-up on public input. “Public participation must not be limited to mere tokenism ( a formality). The government is obligated to provide transparent and open reporting mechanisms, allowing the public to clearly track how substantive input and criticism are addressed and integrated into the final SNDC document,” he emphasized. “This is an absolute prerequisite for building trust and legitimacy.”
Fourth, expanding the meaning ofa just transition. The Tifa Foundation urges the government to expand the meaning of a just transition beyond labor and employment issues. “This concept must explicitly recognize and guarantee the rights of all vulnerable communities affected by new energy projects, including indigenous peoples, farmers, and communities whose lands are directly impacted by infrastructure development that is often touted as green,” he emphasized.
The Tifa Foundation urges the Indonesian government to immediately take concrete steps to improve the SNDC before its official submission.
“Commitment to addressing the climate crisis must go hand in hand with the upholding of human rights and social justice. The SNDC must be a document that is fair, transparent, and protects the people—not one that sacrifices them for the sake of climate targets,” he concluded.
Media Contacts:
Firdaus Cahyadi ([email protected])
Communication & Campaign Officer ([email protected])