Jakarta’s Pre-2019 Coal Power Plants Drive Air Pollution: IQAir

Indonesia has been identified as the worst country for air quality in Southeast Asia and the 15th worst globally according to the 2024 World Air Quality report by IQAir. In the metropolitan areas surrounding Jakarta, known as Jabodetabek, pollution levels have reached between 30 and 55 μg/m³, which is six to eleven times the 2021 World Health Organization (WHO) Air Quality Guideline threshold of 5 μg/m³.

The air quality crisis is particularly acute on the island of Java, which remains the most polluted island in Indonesia. Most cities on Java frequently record air quality levels ranging from moderate to unhealthy for sensitive groups, or worse.

Sources of Pollution in Jakarta and Java

Air pollution in Jakarta and its surrounding regions is driven by a combination of industrial and urban factors. These include emissions from coal-fired power plants, vehicle and motorcycle exhaust, the burning of trash, and various industrial activities.

Coal-fired power plants are a significant contributor to the smog. Facilities built before 2019, especially those located near Jakarta, are documented to emit at least twice the pollution of newer plants. These plants contribute to greenhouse gases and create a persistent grey sky in affected areas, such as villages in northern Java.

The high population density of Java, combined with substantial energy demands for governmental and industrial activities, further drives the levels of air pollution in the region.

Public Health Impacts

The environmental degradation has led to severe health consequences for residents. In northern Java, villagers living near power plants have reported coughing fits, itchy skin, and other health problems. Residents in the metropolis of 11.2 million people have reported sore throats and itchy eyes during periods when pollution levels exceed safe limits set by the Indonesian government and the WHO.

Research conducted by Vital Strategies, a global public health organization, indicates that air pollution potentially contributed to more than 10,000 deaths and 5,000 hospitalizations in Jakarta in 2019.

The pollution is linked to a rise in respiratory illnesses. Individual accounts from northern Java describe cases of lung problems and the exacerbation of tuberculosis due to the poor air quality.

Regional Variations and Monitoring

While Java faces the most severe challenges, other major islands—including Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Maluku, the Lesser Sunda Islands, and Papua—show different patterns. Many cities on these islands had annual averages of PM2.5 below 15 μg/m³, meeting the WHO Interim Target 3. However, a high number of cities on these islands recorded annual levels between 18 and 26 μg/m³, which falls under WHO Interim Target 2.

Jakarta has made positive progress in ambient air quality monitoring, but coverage remains minimal across the broader Jabodetabek area, which includes Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, South Tangerang, and Bekasi.

Environmental and Policy Challenges

Indonesia faces a struggle to balance the rising energy demands of industrialization with the necessity of protecting public health and cutting carbon emissions. The country’s reliance on coal remains a central issue in its effort to transition toward greener energy.

Environmental factors have also exacerbated the crisis. Analysis of air quality through 2023 showed that El Niño prolonged the dry season, which hindered the dispersion of pollutants and induced forest and land fires in fire-prone areas, further worsening the air quality.