Coal is the largest contributor to national CO2 emissions, accounting for 51 percent. Transparency of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions presents complex challenges, including the lack of an integrated supporting ecosystem within the coal business process.
The Publish What You Pay (PWYP) Indonesia research, titled “Improving Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Transparency in the Indonesian Coal Sector through the 2023 EITI Standard,” states that coal accounts for 51 percent of national CO2 emissions.
Astrid Meliala, a senior researcher at the Indonesian Center for Environmental Law (ICEL) who co-authored the report, said this figure comes amid the energy sector’s high contribution to global GHG emissions, accounting for nearly three-quarters (75 percent). The largest sources of emissions are electricity and heat generation, followed by transportation and manufacturing.
“In the downstream sector, Indonesia’s energy sector contributes 43 percent of total national emissions and is heavily dependent on coal. Fifty-one percent of CO2 emissions come from combustion in coal-fired power plants (PLTU),” he said, presenting the research report at a discussion at the report’s launch in Jakarta on Thursday (March 5, 2026).
In addition to CO2, Indonesia’s massive coal production has increased emissions of another greenhouse gas (GHG), namely methane (CH4). By 2024, emissions from coal mines could be eight times higher than the official data released by the Indonesian government.
GHG emissions drive climate change, and encouraging reductions is one step towards addressing it. He believes that transparency in GHG emissions data is the first step toward monitoring and encouraging emissions reductions, particularly in the energy sector.
“Transparency and reporting of emissions serve as instruments for public oversight of the climate impacts of mining activities. Emissions transparency also has direct implications for achieving national climate targets,” he said.
PWYP Indonesia researcher Muhammad Adzkia Fahrirahman, who is also one of the authors of this research, said that transparency of GHG emissions presents complex challenges, including the lack of an integrated supporting ecosystem in the coal business process.
“There’s no integration of emissions reporting obligations into core mining business processes, for example, by making it part of the annual Work Plan and Budget (RKAB) approval. This could provide the government with opportunities to provide guidance and encourage more systematic disclosure of GHG information,” he said.
The government has several regulations mandating corporate disclosure of GHG emissions, such as Law No. 14 of 2008 concerning Public Information Disclosure and sectoral regulations related to energy transition, carbon emissions, and emissions, which technically fall under the authority of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources and the Ministry of Environment. However, the public does not yet have direct access to this emissions data.
The Ministry of Environment (KLH) itself has not published emissions data in accordance with standards set on various international platforms.
“As a result, there are still several information disputes that have dragged on, even to the level of cassation and judicial review related to the acquisition of emissions data because the public has not received the emissions data as requested,” he said.
Budiharto, Director of GHG Inventory and Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MPV) at the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, acknowledged that business actors are legally required to report GHG emissions, specifically through Presidential Regulation (Perpres) No. 110 of 2025 concerning the Implementation of Carbon Economic Value Instruments and National Greenhouse Gas Emission Control. He acknowledged that future improvements in GHG emission data reporting are necessary.
“The problem we’re facing now is emissions reporting. Even though businesses are required to do so, the reality isn’t meeting our expectations. The findings of this research will support us. Going forward, we will improve the reporting system,” he said.
Surya Herjuna, Director of Coal Business Development at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, stated that his ministry already has a plan for implementing a GHG emissions inventory. This year, the ministry plans to conduct a practical test and public consultation regarding the readiness of the GHG emissions inventory. The findings of this research can provide input at this stage.
Katherine Hasan, an analyst at the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), emphasized that transparency in emissions data is crucial for promoting accountability and overseeing the energy transition, enabling people to understand the impact of energy and air planning decisions.
According to him, transparency is also important for achieving GHG emissions reduction targets.
“Real-time emissions data transparency is a key catalyst for validating decarbonization and attracting global green investment. Transparency is the foundation for energy sovereignty and sustainable economic growth,” he said.
Source: Betahita