Jakarta – Publish What You Pay (PWYP) Indonesia together with several representatives of civil society organizations (CSO) such as the Humanist and Social Innovation Foundation, Oxfam in Indonesia, the CERAH Foundation, and Women Rights Organizations (WRO) represented by LBH Apik, held a discussion audience with JETP Indonesia Secretariat face to face on February 6 2024 in South Jakarta. Present representing the JETP Indonesia Secretariat included Paul Butar-Butar, Deputy Head of the Secretariat; Adhityani Putri, Policy Engagement Specialist; and Catharina Winata, Environmental Safeguard Specialist.

On this occasion, CSO and WRO representatives asked about Just Transition’s progress and implementation mechanism after launching the Comprehensive Investment and Policy Plan (CIPP) document at the end of 2023. Also, PWYP Indonesia submitted a policy paper to the Secretariat regarding “Mainstreaming Gender Equality with Disabilities and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) in a Just Energy Transition in Indonesia” as joint learning material overseeing the implementation of JETP. On the other hand, PWYP Indonesia wants to ensure to what extent civil society can place expectations on JETP in carrying out a just transition based on its institutional mandate.

One concern is operationalizing the foundations of a just energy transition framework and GEDSI in implementing JETP in Indonesia. Mouna Wasef from PWYP Indonesia emphasized that although it was acknowledged in the CIPP – JETP document, Indonesia had formulated the principles of gender equality and empowerment and explicitly mentioned vulnerable groups such as women and people with disabilities. However, he needs certainty about how to follow up on the operationalization of these foundations or principles. Apart from that, Khotimun Sutanti from LBH APIK also asked how to capture the situation of vulnerability in society and look at the cultural construction and empowerment of vulnerable groups. The JETP Secretariat responded that they are currently preparing a policy design to reduce the “just” principle. When it is ready, it will open up space for the community to provide input on the indicators they build.

Apart from that, the JETP Indonesia Secretariat also emphasized that the mandate of JETP Indonesia is limited to the downstream transition sector, especially on-grid electricity projects, formulated in the CIPP document. So, outside of these priority projects, they are no longer included in the scope and mandate of JETP, including upstream aspects of mining extraction. Therefore, to touch the broader transition sector from upstream to downstream, the JETP Indonesia Secretariat encourages the community and CSOs to advocate for the government to increase improvements in holistic proactively, just energy governance.