Indonesia's Nitrogen Oxide Emissions Soar Over 50 Percent, 29 Pollution Hotspots Detected

Indonesia is experiencing a significant increase in nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions, with a rise of over 50 percent recorded since 2010. This surge is attributed to expanding activities in transportation, industry, power generation, and mining sectors across the archipelago.

A study by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) has pinpointed 29 hotspots for NOx emissions throughout Indonesia. These pollution centers are not confined to major cities but have spread to industrial and nickel processing hubs located outside urban areas. The findings indicate that the pollution is becoming more widespread, impacting both densely populated regions and remote industrial zones.

The CREA study, titled "Mapping the invisible: a satellite reveal of Indonesia’s NOx hotspots," utilized satellite imagery to map these emission sources. The identified 29 hotspots are three times more numerous than those found in a previous global study. These hotspots are categorized into four main groups: urban areas near power plants and industries, large industrial zones in smaller towns, nickel processing areas, and mining sites. Notably, emissions from coal-fired captive power plants supporting nickel processing have increased sixfold since 2019, leading to NOx emissions in Sulawesi and North Maluku that now surpass those in the greater Jakarta area.