IPB Expert: Decarbonization 1 Million Tons, Pertamina Can Be Trendsetter

Illustration. (Angga Nugraha/VOI)

JAKARTA - Economic and environmental expert at IPB University, Professor Eka Intan Kumala Putri, assessed that Pertamina's efforts to reduce more than 1 million tons of carbon emission equivalence in the first semester of 2025. According to Eka, this step could place the energy SOE as a decarbonization trendsetter.

"As a trendsetter, so that other industries follow Pertamina's steps. People will see that as a large company, Pertamina is able to reduce carbon in large quantities, so that the results can be seen," Eka told the media today, Tuesday, September 16.

According to Eka, Pertamina's efforts to reduce carbon must be appreciated. He hopes that this effort will continue, including through the energy transition that is currently being developed by Pertamina. Pertamina must be able to convert the use of fossil energy such as coal to more environmentally friendly ones.

Likewise, the products produced, he said, Pertamina must also continue to develop new and renewable energy (EBT) such as geothermal, biofuel, bioethanol, and even processing crude oil into bioavtur.

"That's why if Pertamina has a low-carbon target and it is achieved, of course it is good and we appreciate it. Although of course it must continue to be carried out thoroughly and integrated. Because like it or not, all industries lead to a low-carbon industrial process," continued Eka.

From an economic perspective, Eka assessed that Pertamina's efforts were also very profitable, especially in the long term. Including increasing me to compete at the global level.

The world now, explained Eka, is very strict with environmentally friendly. Everyone must have certificates, clean, clean and clear production, and so on. If there are companies that still use the dirty production process, of course they will not be able to compete at the global level.

Therefore, he continued, Pertamina's various efforts to reduce low-carbon emissions will certainly have a positive effect when transacting.

"There is an intangible incentive, if you use clean production, an image will be built that Pertamina is environmentally friendly," he said.

Indeed, Eka explained, various technology investments made to reduce carbon emissions, in the short term, could reduce existing profits.

"That's why don't think in the short term, but in the long term. Sustainability is determined by low production of carbon. Reducing low carbon requires costs, technology. This cost will reduce profit but that's short term. In the long term, it will be beneficial for the company," concluded Eka.

Previously, PT Pertamina (Persero) said that through the decarbonization program, the company continues to support the energy transition and achieve the Net Zero Emission 2060 target.

According to Pertamina's Vice President of Corporate Communication, Fadjar Djoko Santoso, until mid-2025, the realization of Pertamina's emission reduction or decarbonization has exceeded the figure of more than one million tons of CO2 equivalence, close to most of the annual targets set.

When compared to the same period the previous year, the decarbonization achievement this year showed a significant increase.

"The average achievement was far above last year's realization. This positive trend strengthens Pertamina's steps as the locomotive of the national energy transition," explained Fadjar at the time.