Muhammad Al Amin from the Sulawesi Alliance said that Sulawesi Island is the region in Indonesia and even in Southeast Asia that is most threatened by today’s global climate solutions. Likewise, indigenous and local communities on Sulawesi Island are the communities that will suffer the worst impacts of climate solutions known as the green transition. Because of these solutions, nickel mining will increasingly destroy Sulawesi’s forests, pollute its rivers, coasts, and seas.
For us, climate solutions should not create new problems. They should not destroy the lives of people in other areas, especially areas with large resources. We firmly state that we will not allow indigenous peoples and local communities in Sulawesi, North Maluku, and Papua to be sacrificed, impoverished, and polluted in order to save the lives of the rich and protect corporate businesses in the name of climate solutions. Mineral transition or critical mineral mining to support the global energy transition ecosystem is not climate justice, let alone a climate solution. It is a continuation of projects to maintain profits, dominance, and power.
Therefore, we call on all those present at COP 30 to stop promoting the narrative of mineral transition through green extractivism as a solution and manifestation of climate justice. A sustainable new energy ecosystem must be built from grassroots communities, supporting initiatives by local community organizations together with scientists, rather than expanding mining and destroying forests in Sulawesi, springs, productive food lands, polluting rivers, coasts, and seas that are the source of livelihood for the people of Sulawesi, Maluku, and Papua.
