WEDA BAY, Indonesia - For decades, Abdullah Ambar made his living fishing off the pristine coast of Lelilef Sawai, a quiet village on Halmahera Island. Today, his waters are polluted, fish stocks depleted, and red soil from denuded hills washes into the sea after every rain.
Since 2018, Weda Bay has become the world’s largest nickel hub. Home to 18 refineries, 11 coal-fired plants, and sprawling mining concessions, it supplies critical battery materials for the global EV revolution.
Indonesia produces 40% of the world’s nickel-2.2 million tonnes annually. Demand is expected to double by 2050 as nations pursue net-zero goals.
But this growth comes at a steep cost. Coal powers 97% of nickel processing, emitting 93 tonnes of CO₂ per tonne of battery-grade nickel-20 times more than a passenger car emits yearly.
Fumes coat homes and boats in ash. Floods, worsened by deforestation, now reach chest-high in nearby Kobe village.
"We sleep up there," said Adrian Patapata, pointing to the rafters of his home, where his family shelters during floods that submerge his crops in toxic sludge.
Sagea village now faces imminent threat. Mines edge toward Sagea Lake and an underground river system-the community’s only clean water source.
"We’ve seen what happened elsewhere. We don’t want our rivers poisoned too," said Mardani Harid of Save Sagea.
Chinese firms dominate investment, building refineries rapidly with state-backed funding. Indonesia’s export ban on raw ore since 2020 forced downstream processing, boosting local jobs and value-but not local benefits.
The government aims for an 81% emissions cut by 2045, shifting to solar and wind. A two-gigawatt solar farm is planned, but infrastructure gaps persist.
Experts warn: environmental damage may be irreversible. With reserves possibly exhausted in 15 years, long-term planning is critical.
"Some destruction cannot be undone," said Putra Adhiguna of Energy Shift Institute.
Indonesia plans to extend its refining model to bauxite, copper, and zinc-but energy demands and global competition pose hurdles.