The energy sector accounts for nearly three-quarters (75 percent) of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The largest source of GHG emissions is power generation, followed by the transportation and manufacturing sectors. At the national level, coal accounts for 51 percent of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Downstream, Indonesia’s energy sector accounts for 43 percent of total national emissions and is heavily dependent on coal, with 51 percent of CO2 emissions from combustion in coal-fired power plants (PLTU).
In addition to CO2, Indonesia’s massive coal production has increased methane (CH4) emissions. By 2024, methane emissions from coal mines could be eight times higher than the official data released by the Indonesian government. GHG emissions contribute to the climate crisis. Therefore, data transparency is the first step in monitoring and encouraging reductions in GHG emissions, 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,” said Astrid Meliala, senior researcher at the Indonesian Center for Environmental Law (ICEL), in an official statement, reported Saturday (March 14, 2026).
Astrid presented the Publish What You Pay (PWYP) Indonesia report on Improving Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Transparency in the Indonesian Coal Sector through the 2023 EITI Standard.
Transparency of greenhouse gas emissions in Indonesia
Supporting the ecosystem for reporting obligations. Meanwhile, PWYP Indonesia researcher and co-author of the research, Muhammad Adzkia Farirahman, said that transparency of GHG emissions poses complex challenges.
One of these challenges is the lack of an integrated supporting ecosystem within the coal business process, or the failure to integrate emissions reporting obligations into the core mining business process. An example is by making it part of the annual Work Plan and Budget (RKAB) approval.
“In fact, this could provide a space for the government to provide guidance and encourage more systematic disclosure of GHG information,” said Adzkia.
The government has several regulations mandating that companies disclose GHG emissions.
In general, Law No. 14 of 2008 concerning Public Information Disclosure. Meanwhile, technically, sectoral regulations related to energy transition, carbon, and emissions fall under the authority of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) and the Ministry of Environment.
However, the public cannot yet directly access GHG emissions data information.
On the other hand, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry has not published emission data in accordance with the standards set in various international platforms.
As a result, several information disputes related to the acquisition of emissions data have dragged on to the cassation and judicial review levels because the public has not received the emissions data as requested.
According to Katherine Hasan, an analyst at the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), transparency in emissions data is crucial for promoting accountability and overseeing the energy transition.
Transparency is also important for achieving GHG emission reduction targets and for assessing the impact of energy and air planning decisions.
“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,” said Hasan.
Source: Kompas