Jakarta, 21 October 2025 — Marking the International Day of Action on Big Biomass, environmental activists staged a peaceful protest in front of the Japanese and South Korean embassies in Jakarta. The action called out both countries for their growing imports of biomass fuels from Indonesia, a practice the activists say is driving deforestation, harming local communities, and undermining global climate justice. 

Image 1. Peaceful protest in front of the South Korean embassy in Jakarta (Source: FWI)

Over the past five years, Japan and South Korea have become heavily dependent on wood pellet imports from Southeast Asia, including Indonesia, as part of their energy transition strategies. However, instead of supporting a just energy transition, this practice has accelerated the loss of natural forests and released massive amounts of carbon in producer countries. 

“Indonesia’s forests are not your fuel. Stop importing wood pellets and stop destroying Indonesia’s forests,” said Tsabit Khairul Auni, Action Coordinator from Forest Watch Indonesia (FWI). “Japan and South Korea’s use of Indonesian wood pellets has strayed far from the principles of a just energy transition,” he said. 

Behind the green energy narrative, Indonesia’s forests are being exploited on a massive scale to meet Japan and South Korea’s energy demand. FWI investigations show that over 80% of wood pellet imports by the two countries originate from logging of natural forests. In total, over 40 million hectares of natural forests in Indonesia are at risk due to various projects. 

Image 2. Activist in front of the South Korean embassy in Jakarta holding a sign that reads "Cut Subsidies Not Forests" (Source: FWI) 

“This protest in Jakarta is part of a global community united against the false solution of burning forests for energy,” said Satrio Manggala, Asia-Pacific Coordinator of the Biomass Action Network (BAN). “We demand that Japan and South Korea immediately end this practice and shift to truly clean renewable energy,” he said. 

 
The criticism over South Korea’s imports of deforestation-linked timber was echoed in the country’s parliament. At the annual audit of Korea Forest Service on October 20th, Member of National Assembly Moon Dae-lim of the ruling Democratic Party stated, “While the Korean government has practically done nothing in response, Indonesia has lost forests the size of 3,000 football fields, worsening the landslides and floods in the province of Gorontalo.” He added, “We must respond responsibly, shed the label of a ‘climate villain,’ and stand with confidence before the international community.” 

The activists in Jakarta called on the governments of Japan and South Korea to immediately stop importing wood pellets from Indonesia and revoke subsidies that sustain the biomass industry. They also urged the international public not to be deceived by the false narrative that wood biomass is a form of green or renewable energy, emphasizing that it drives deforestation and worsens the climate crisis rather than solving it. 

ENDS.     

Solutions for Our Climate (SFOC) is an independent nonprofit organization that works to accelerate global greenhouse gas emissions reduction and energy transition. SFOC leverages research, litigation, community organizing, and strategic communications to deliver practical climate solutions and build movements for change.        

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