Prabowo says Indonesia can hit 100% renewable energy by 2035
Since his inauguration last year, Mr Prabowo has touted his desire to speed up the country's transition away from coal.
Indonesia aims to transition entirely to renewable energy by the middle of the coming decade, according to President Prabowo Subianto, well ahead of the country's previously announced goal.
'We are planning to achieve 100 per cent renewable energy within the next ten years,' Mr Prabowo said during a press gathering with Brazilian President Lula da Silva in Brasilia on July 9. 'The target, of course, is 2040, but my experts tell me we can achieve this much faster.'
Indonesia is among the world's top miners and burners of coal, relying on fossil fuels for roughly 80 per cent of generation.
Since his inauguration last year, Mr Prabowo has touted his desire to speed up the country's transition away from the fossil fuel, making statements that are out of often out of line with the rest of his government and with his predecessor, who aimed to achieve net-zero emissions by 2060.
The country's latest national power plan envisages that 75 per cent of new capacity additions over the next nine years will come from renewable sources, but that would still leave a vast existing fleet of coal plants, many of them built only in recent years.
It also leaves space for new gas and coal generation to be added.
An industrial boom led by the country's nickel smelting sector has also largely been driven by new, purpose-built coal plants.
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Back in 2022, South-east Asia's largest economy signed a landmark climate finance deal that promised to accelerate the phase out of coal and the building of clean power.
That plan – the Just Energy Transition Partnership, later deployed in other middle-income nations – has since made little progress. BLOOMBERG
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Straits Times
26 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Singapore to train more aviation and maritime officials from around the world
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Acting Minister for Transport Jeffrey Siow delivers his speech at the Global Aviation and Maritime Symposium on July 14. SINGAPORE – More aviation and maritime officials from around the world will be trained here in Singapore, as the Republic launches and develops new training programmes in these two sectors. The programmes are part of moves to support the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and International Maritime Organization (IMO), which Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow said were examples of multilateral institutions that are 'pillars of a rules-based international order'. They are also seen as part of efforts to cement Singapore's position as an aviation and maritime hub. The training programmes include one for transport officials from the Small Island Developing States (SIDS), which includes states in the Caribbean and Pacific islands, among others. The programme will focus on the unique challenges that SIDS - like Singapore - face in the aviation and maritime industries, Mr Siow said, speaking at the opening of the Global Aviation and Maritime Symposium. The first training programme for SIDS will be in 2026, for officials from the Caribbean Island states. Courses for the Pacific Island states and others are also in the pipeline. Mr Siow also said Singapore will work with the ICAO and IMO on a new global initiative to develop and deliver specialised training programmes for officials and practitioners across both the aviation and maritime sectors. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Business Singapore's economy continues to expand in Q2 despite US tariff uncertainty: Advance estimate Singapore What's in a name? 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This is aimed at supporting officials from developing ICAO Member States in attending aviation-related courses. The Republic has also committed a second tranche of US$3 million to the Enhanced Technical Co-Operation and Training Package for IMO and its member States, said Mr Siow. These funds will support courses for seafarers on alternative fuels, digitalisation, marine casualty investigations and other areas. Singapore had already pledged US$5 million for a five-year period from 2024 to 2028. To date, Singapore has run aviation and maritime training courses for more than 1,800 participants under the Singapore-ICAO Developing Countries Training Programme, and over 2,400 participants under the Singapore-IMO Third Country Training Programme, Mr Siow said. Mr Siow said at the symposium that Singapore has been 'a strong supporter' of the ICAO and IMO since it joined both organisations in 1966, and served as a member of the ICAO and IMO Councils since 2003 and 1993, respectively. The event has brought the global aviation and maritime communities together for the first time, including the Secretaries-General of the ICAO and IMO, ICAO and IMO 'pillars' in unpredictable world Mr Siow said Singapore remains committed to working with the ICAO and IMO. 'In an increasingly unpredictable global climate, multilateral institutions like the ICAO and IMO are pillars of a rules-based international order,' he said. For example, the organisations' 'clear, rules-based frameworks' allow the safe movement of people and goods by air and sea, even during crises. And they provide 'steadfast leadership' even in 'periods of transition and turbulence', serving as platforms for collective action and global cooperation, Mr Siow said. To Singapore, 'connectivity is existential', Mr Siow said. 'We are a major aviation and maritime hub, connected to around 170 cities by air and over 600 ports across 120 countries.' Singapore is also a hub for international travel and trade, and has invested in upgrading its airport and seaport, as well as air traffic and vessel traffic management systems, he added. 'Because of Singapore's connectivity, we can see and feel first-hand how global trends are shaping aviation and maritime,' Mr Siow said. These trends include 'more fragmented and volatile' economic and geopolitical environments, resulting in rising costs and heightened uncertainty, said Mr Siow. This has had knock-on effects on freight networks and port operations worldwide. At the same time, consumer demand for transport is growing faster than capacity, Mr Siow noted. As passenger and cargo traffic by air and sea continue to grow, 'countries are striving to build infrastructure and capability to meet the rising demand'. The aviation and maritime industries are also grappling with longer-term issues such as climate change and technology, he added. In his speech, Mr Siow said two challenges that both industries must tackle are safety and sustainability. (From left) Minister of State Baey Yam Keng; Senior Minister of State Murali Pillai; ICAO Secretary General Juan Carlos Salazar; Acting Minister for Transport Jeffrey Siow; IMO Secretary General Arsenio Dominguez; Senior Minister of State Sun Xueling; and Permanent Secretary Lau Peet Meng in a group photo at the Global Aviation and Maritime Symposium in Raffles City Convention Centre. ST PHOTO: GIN TAY Safety the 'foundation' of aviation, maritime sectors Maintaining safety has become more demanding as air and sea traffic grows and operating environments become more complex, said Mr Siow. For example, airspace for flights is tightly regulated, and maritime vessels in open waters sail without central traffic control, relying on onboard navigation systems and local guidance near ports to ensure safe passage, said Mr Siow. New technologies are being used in both sectors to improve operations, 'but they also bring new risks', Mr Siow noted, such as cybersecurity threats and system vulnerabilities. 'We must ensure that our people are well-equipped to use these technologies safely, and make the right decisions even under pressure,' Mr Siow said. 'This is why training remains critical.' As for sustainability, Mr Siow noted that the aviation and maritime sectors each contribute about 3 per cent of global emissions, adding that aviation and maritime decarbonisation must be balanced against economic development. The ICAO and IMO have adopted 2050 net-zero carbon emissions goals. For aviation, the key is the adoption of sustainable aviation fuel which can reduce emissions by up to 80 per cent, compared to fossil jet fuel on a life-cycle basis. Importantly, sustainable aviation fuels can be used with existing aircraft engines and airport infrastructure. This is not the case for the maritime sector. While there are various alternative marine fuel options - such as liquefied natural gas, biofuels, methanol, ammonia, and hydrogen - the availability of infrastructure for these fuels varies across shipping routes. 'The maritime community is therefore preparing for a multi-fuel future,' Mr Siow noted. More than 500 delegates, including transport ministers, senior officials, regulators and industry leaders and experts from more than 80 countries are in Singapore to attend the symposium, which runs until July 18.
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Hong Kong seeks to tighten prison visit rules on national security grounds
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Hong Kong authorities say there have been instances of prison visits being abused under the pretext of "humanitarian relief". HONG KONG - The Hong Kong authorities on July 7 presented a proposal to lawmakers to tighten prison rules to restrict visits by lawyers, religious personnel and doctors on national security grounds, a move critics said would further undermine prisoner rights. In a government paper submitted to the legislature, the Security Bureau said there had been instances of prison visits being abused under the pretext of 'humanitarian relief' in an attempt to influence prisoners and to 'arouse their hatred' of the Chinese and Hong Kong governments. Under the proposal, the Correctional Services Department could apply for a magistrate's warrant, giving it the right to block or impose conditions on prisoner contact with specific lawyers and doctors. Hong Kong's mini-Constitution, or Basic Law, enshrines the legal professional privilege to safeguard confidential legal advice between lawyers and their clients, including in court and prison, and the right to choose a lawyer. But Security Secretary Chris Tang told lawmakers that while prisoners do not lose all their rights, 'the rights they enjoy are not the same as those of people not in prison, and the time they can exercise these rights and freedoms must be limited by the need to maintain national security, discipline and order'. China imposed a national security law on the former British colony in 2020, punishing offences like subversion with possible life imprisonment, following mass pro-democracy protests in 2019. The ongoing crackdown on dissent, including the use of powerful new national security laws to arrest pro-democracy campaigners and shutter civil society groups, has drawn criticism from countries including the US and Britain. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Business Singapore's economy continues to expand in Q2 despite US tariff uncertainty: Advance estimate Singapore What's in a name? Local author traces the evolution of Singaporean Chinese names Business From wellness zone to neurodivergent room: How companies are creating inviting, inclusive offices Singapore Govt will continue to support families, including growing group of seniors: PM Wong at PCF Family Day Singapore Swift action needed to stop vaping's slide from health risk to drug epidemic Singapore Art by Pathlight students to be displayed along Singapore River Opinion Hong Kong's past is disappearing, one icon at a time Sport Jannik Sinner dethrones Carlos Alcaraz to capture maiden Wimbledon crown Hong Kong and Chinese authorities say the laws have brought stability and order. Jailed pro-democracy activist Owen Chow and his lawyer were convicted in 2024 for violating prison rules after his lawyer took a complaint form out of the prison without authorisation. A veteran lawyer, who did not wish to reveal his identity due to the sensitivity of the matter, told Reuters that this proposal further 'extends the power' of the authorities over those accused of national security offences. Mr Derek Chu, the founder of prison rights advocacy group Waiting Bird, told Reuters that it would further silence individuals such as barrister and activist Chow Hang Tung, who has remained outspoken, even behind bars. 'It cuts off the support to the political prisoners inside, further isolating them and undermining the will of those who are willing to fight for justice and human rights,' Mr Chu said. Ms Chow and her mother Medina were among eight people arrested for sedition under the Article 23 national security laws enacted in 2024, for allegedly using a Facebook page to 'advocate hatred' against the Chinese and Hong Kong government. Under Article 23, the police chief can apply for a magistrate's warrant to deny suspects arrested for alleged national security crimes access to a lawyer. The current proposal can be gazetted directly into law by the government, and then vetted by the legislature. REUTERS
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Hong Kong court to hear appeals by jailed democracy campaigners
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Appeals will be heard from 13 democracy campaigners who were jailed for subversion in 2024. A Hong Kong court will hear appeals starting on July 14 from 13 democracy campaigners who were jailed for subversion in 2024 during the city's largest national security trial. They were among 45 opposition figures, including some of Hong Kong's best-known democracy activists, who were sentenced in November 2024 over a 2020 informal primary election that authorities deemed a subversive plot. Critics including the United States, Britain and the European Union said the case showed how a Beijing-imposed national security law has eroded freedoms and quashed peaceful opposition in Hong Kong. Ex-lawmakers 'Long Hair' Leung Kwok-hung, Lam Cheuk-ting, Helena Wong and Raymond Chan are among those contesting their convictions and sentences in hearings that are scheduled to last 10 days. Owen Chow, a 28-year-old activist who was sentenced to seven years and nine months in jail – the harshest penalty among the 13 – has also lodged an appeal. Some of the appellants have already spent more than four years behind bars. Amnesty International's China director Sarah Brooks said the appeal will be a 'pivotal test' for free expression in the Chinese finance hub. 'Only by overturning these convictions can Hong Kong's courts begin to restore the city's global standing as a place where rights are respected and where people are allowed to peacefully express their views without fear of arrest,' Ms Brooks said. Morning raids Prosecutors will concurrently challenge on July 14 the lower court's acquittal of lawyer Lawrence Lau, one of two people found not guilty from an original group of 47 accused. Activist Tam Tak-chi, who pleaded guilty in the subversion case, had also indicated he would appeal against his sentence but withdrew. Beijing has remoulded Hong Kong in its authoritarian image after imposing a sweeping national security law in 2020 following months of huge, and sometimes violent, pro-democracy demonstrations. Authorities arrested figures from a broad cross-section of the city's opposition in morning raids in 2021, a group later dubbed the 'Hong Kong 47'. The group, aged between 27 and 69, included democratically elected lawmakers and district councillors, as well as unionists, academics and others with political stances ranging from modest reformists to radical localists. They were accused of organising or taking part in an unofficial primary election, which aimed to improve the chances of pro-democracy parties of winning a majority in the legislature. The activists had hoped to force the government to accede to demands such as universal suffrage by threatening to indiscriminately veto the budget. Three senior judges handpicked by the government to try security cases said the plan would have caused a 'constitutional crisis'. Beijing and Hong Kong officials have defended the national security law as being necessary to restore order following the 2019 protests. Opposition party the League of Social Democrats – co-founded by Leung – announced its disbandment in June , citing 'immense political pressure'. Eight of the jailed campaigners, including journalist and lawmaker Claudia Mo and LGBTQ activist Jimmy Sham, have been released in recent weeks after completing their sentences. AFP
