Jakarta, July 2025 – The Academy of Environmental and Energy Journalism (AJEL) , an initiative by the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) Indonesia with the support of Traction Energy Asia , officially released its third batch through a graduation ceremony combined with an online public discussion.
This three-year program, which has produced a total of 53 alumni journalists , continues to strengthen the capacity of young journalists in various regions to cover issues of energy transition, green economy, and their impacts on the environment and local communities.
In its third year of implementation, AJEL involved 17 journalists from East Kalimantan, West Kalimantan, and Southeast Sulawesi – three crucial areas in Indonesia’s energy transition narrative. Through intensive online and offline training , participants not only expanded their understanding of these strategic issues but also produced in-depth reports that voiced the realities on the ground.
As the culmination of the program, AJEL Batch 3 participants launched a book titled “The False Mask of Energy Transition” (“Kedok Palsu Transisi Energi”) , a compilation of 21 investigative reports that document the paradoxes and failures of Indonesia’s energy transition. These reports reveal how energy projects, claimed to be “green,” actually cause ecological damage, social conflicts, loss of livelihoods, and exacerbate social inequality.
Some important reports in the book expose the pollution of the Konaweha River due to nickel smelter activities in Morosi, Southeast Sulawesi ; the impact of coal dust on the health of residents around captive coal-fired power plants ; and the destruction of ecosystems and loss of local species due to mining and hydropower plants in Kalimantan. Ironically, although these regions are called motors of economic growth, poverty rates have actually increased, and local communities have lost their livelihoods.
The works of the journalists participating in AJEL III demonstrate that Indonesia’s current energy transition, despite being labeled “green,” is still far from fair. Development that sacrifices the environment and people’s rights is not progress. “The world of journalism needs voices that continue to challenge those who fail to prioritize sustainability and social justice as the core of their development plans,” said Tommy, Executive Director of Traction Energy Asia.
The public discussion at this graduation also served as an important forum to evaluate the energy transition narrative, which often neglects aspects of sustainability and justice. AJEL asserts that energy transition cannot merely be viewed as a shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy , but must encompass a holistic social, economic, and ecological transformation.
Besides being a graduation celebration, this event is expected to reignite the spirit of collaboration and collective reporting that sides with sustainability and social justice. AJEL will continue to open learning and networking spaces for journalists who wish to be part of a strong, integrity-driven, and impactful environmental journalism movement.
The book can be downloaded here:
Indonesian:
https://s.id/KedokPalsuTransisi Energi
English:
https://s.id/BehindTheMaskofEnergi Transition
About AJEL
The Academy of Environmental and Energy Journalism (AJEL) is a journalist capacity-building program initiated by the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) Indonesia with the support of Traction Energy Asia. AJEL aims to equip journalists with critical knowledge and reporting skills on energy and environmental issues in-depth, advocating for public interest.
