IVOOX.id – Only five percent of women in the energy sector hold decision-making roles in Indonesia’s energy transition.
A just energy transition toward a low-carbon, socially equitable future must be a top priority for Indonesia. Without shifting to environmentally friendly energy sources, the climate crisis will only worsen.
Enter Nusantara, alongside various civil society organizations, media, and grassroots communities, participated in the *Bootcamp: Capturing Indonesia’s Just Energy Transition* held in Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB).
“This bootcamp is part of a collective effort to strengthen narratives and actions that ensure an inclusive transition process,” stated an official release from Enter Nusantara, accessed on Thursday, July 3, 2025.
Over three days, from April 28–30, 2025, participants from NTB, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), and Greater Jakarta engaged in discussions, shared experiences, and conducted field visits to witness the impacts and initiatives of renewable energy projects in local villages. The bootcamp’s primary focus was to create a platform for women and vulnerable groups to voice their perspectives and be heard in the planning and implementation of energy policies.
Organized by the Publish What You Pay Indonesia National Coalition for Extractive Resource Transparency, the event aligned with Indonesia’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) document, which emphasizes the inclusion of vulnerable groups such as women, Indigenous communities, and people with disabilities in the energy transition process.
However, data reveals that only five percent of women in the energy sector occupy decision-making positions. This imbalance is concerning and indicates that the transition is not yet on the right track. Studies by IRENA and McKinsey have demonstrated that women’s involvement can drive innovation, sustainability, and economic growth.
Participants had the opportunity to visit a solar-powered water pump project in Pandan Indah Village and a micro-hydropower plant (PLTMH) in Buwun Sejati Village, providing moments for reflection and learning. They observed firsthand the critical role women play in advancing a just energy transition in these villages. In Pandan Indah, for instance, a solar-powered water pump successfully supplies water to the surrounding community.
In this context, women have emerged as key drivers, helping to design and implement energy projects. Participants witnessed how renewable energy initiatives can empower communities when guided by principles of social justice and equality or become burdens when communities are not involved from the outset.
The experiences of women in managing local energy resources, addressing access disparities, and building economic resilience are vital narratives that must be mainstreamed in Indonesia’s energy transition agenda.
On the final day, participants shared their insights and developed journalistic products and campaign content reflecting the voices of their respective communities. They also formulated action plans to strengthen cross-regional and cross-sectoral collaboration among their organizations.
This bootcamp was more than a learning forum; it was a space to build solidarity and devise collective strategies for an energy transition that leaves no one behind. As outlined in the principles of the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), social justice is not an accessory it is the cornerstone of a sustainable energy future.
The training reinforced the belief that the energy transition is not just about replacing fossil fuels with renewables but also about transforming perspectives on equality, participation, and benefit distribution. Thus, the event underscored the importance of incorporating the perspectives of youth and marginalized groups in shaping energy transition policies.
A Warming Planet
Enter Nusantara cited data from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), which recorded 2023 as the hottest year since pre-industrial times, signaling growing concerns about global warming and climate change. Researchers have stressed the urgent need to reduce emissions, particularly from the fossil fuel-dominated energy sector, to limit global temperature rises to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
The Indonesian government has been criticized for straying from its Paris Agreement commitments by lowering the renewable energy mix target from 23 percent in 2025 to just 17 percent. Meanwhile, UNICEF has warned that Indonesia’s youth are among the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.
Mitigating the climate crisis is not only a necessity but also a moral obligation to protect the rights and future of young people. To address the crisis and achieve a just energy transition, it is critical to amplify the voices of Indonesian youth and empower them to actively participate in advocating for policies and initiatives.
Source: IVOXX