Abstract
The book Energy Transition at a Crossroads: Between Elite Interests and Social Justice exposes the paradox of renewable energy transition in Indonesia, where projects claimed to support sustainability often led to social injustice and environmental degradation. Through thirteen investigative reports, the book highlights how hydropower, geothermal, and nickel industry developments—often associated with green energy—have resulted in displacement, loss of livelihoods, environmental pollution, and marginalization of local communities. This review emphasizes that while the energy transition aims to reduce carbon emissions, its implementation in Indonesia tends to benefit elites and corporations rather than affected communities. The book critiques the lack of transparency, limited public participation, and unequal distribution of benefits and burdens in national energy policies. At the same time, it offers just transition-based solutions to ensure a more inclusive and equitable shift to renewable energy. However, this review also notes that the book lacks a discussion on technical challenges and comparative perspectives on energy transitions in other countries. Thus, this review underscores that without more transparent, participatory, and inclusive policies, Indonesia’s energy transition risks becoming a new form of exploitation that contradicts sustainability principles.
- energy transition
- renewable energy
- social justice
- energy transition paradox
- energy policy
Abstract
Buku Transisi Energi di Persimpangan: Antara Kepentingan Elit dan Keadilan Sosial mengungkap paradoks dalam transisi energi terbarukan di Indonesia, di mana proyek-proyek yang diklaim berkontribusi pada keberlanjutan justru memicu ketidakadilan sosial dan degradasi lingkungan. Melalui tiga belas laporan jurnalistik, buku ini menyoroti bagaimana pembangunan pembangkit listrik tenaga air, panas bumi, dan industri nikel yang dikaitkan dengan energi hijau malah menyebabkan penggusuran, hilangnya mata pencaharian, pencemaran lingkungan, serta marginalisasi masyarakat lokal. Ulasan ini menekankan bahwa meskipun transisi energi bertujuan mengurangi emisi karbon, pelaksanaannya di Indonesia sering kali lebih menguntungkan elite dan korporasi dibandingkan masyarakat terdampak. Buku ini menyoroti minimnya transparansi, kurangnya partisipasi masyarakat, serta ketimpangan distribusi manfaat dan beban dalam kebijakan energi nasional. Sementara itu, buku ini juga menawarkan solusi berbasis keadilan transisi untuk memastikan bahwa peralihan ke energi terbarukan dapat berlangsung lebih inklusif dan berkeadilan. Namun, ulasan ini juga mencatat bahwa buku ini masih kurang membahas tantangan teknis serta perbandingan dengan praktik transisi energi di negara lain. Dengan demikian, ulasan ini menegaskan bahwa tanpa kebijakan yang lebih transparan, partisipatif, dan inklusif, transisi energi di Indonesia berisiko menjadi alat eksploitasi baru yang bertentangan dengan prinsip keberlanjutan.
- transisi energi
- energi terbarukan
- keadilan sosial
- paradoks transisi energi
- kebijakan energi
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