Publications
Evidence with a purpose.
Reports, policy briefs, press releases, books, and public commentary in one searchable archive.
Indonesia–US trade agreement challenged in court, civil society coalition warns of risks to economic sovereignty
A civil society coalition consisting of CELIOS, the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI), Indonesia for Global Justice (IGJ), Solidaritas Perempuan, and supported by WALHI Nasional and Trend Asia has officially filed a lawsuit for Unlawful Government Act (Onrechtmatige Overheidsdaad) against the President of the Republic of Indonesia at the Jakarta Administrative Court (PTUN) on March 11, 2026. The lawsuit challenges the President’s decision to sign the Indonesia–United States Reciprocal Trade Agreement (The Agreement on Reciprocal Trade / ART) on February 19, 2026, without approval from the House of Representatives (DPR) and without meaningful public participation.
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CELIOS expert testimony at the PTUN: PLN’s 2025–2034 RUPTL burdens state finances
CELIOS Executive Director Bhima Yudhistira Adhinegara provided expert testimony in Case Number 286/G/2025/PTUN.JKT concerning the review of PLN’s 2025–2034 RUPTL. In his testimony, Bhima highlighted the large share held by independent power producers (IPPs) in the RUPTL, accounting for 73% of total investment, and its impact on state finances, APBN subsidies and compensation, electricity supply reliability, and the public’s purchasing power. Data shows that PLN’s payments to IPPs—including for unused electricity—have reached hundreds of trillions of rupiah, potentially constituting state losses.
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Second Nationally Determined Contribution (SNDC): in pursuit of 8% economic growth, environmental protection and vulnerable groups are overlooked
Jakarta, October 24, 2025 — The government has just released the draft of the Second Nationally Determined Contribution (SNDC), which is planned for submission to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) ahead of COP 30 this November in Brazil. During a public consultation session held by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, officials acknowledged that the delay in submitting the SNDC document was due to difficulties in aligning targets across sectors. In fact, unde
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Plan to modify World Heritage forest boundaries for geothermal: a new threat to forests, communities, and Indonesia’s reputation
Jakarta, 22 September 2025 – The government, through the Ministry of Forestry, plans to modify the boundary of the Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra (TRHS) via UNESCO, in order to build a 5 GW Geothermal Power Plant (PLTP) in Suoh and Sekincau, West Lampung. This move marks a major setback in tropical forest conservation efforts and undermines Indonesia’s environmental diplomacy reputation, particularly in the lead-up to COP30 in Brazil. UNESCO World Heritage Potential The 2.5 million-he
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Impact of coal-fired power plant closures on local communities: workers, SMEs, and regional revenue
Jakarta, July 18, 2023—CELIOS and Yayasan Indonesia CERAH highlighted the importance of local government involvement in the launch of JETP. Bhima Yudhistira, CELIOS Director, stated, “For example, around 4,666 direct workers, both permanent and non-permanent, will be affected by the closure of coal-fired power plants in Langkat, Cilacap, and Probolinggo. This does not yet include indirect workers, namely MSME operators around the power plant sites, as well as workers at coal source locations.” Muhamm
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