Yale Program on Climate Change Communication

3. Policy Support

3.1 A majority of Indonesians think climate change should be a “very high” or “high” government priority.

Seven in ten Indonesians (70%) think climate change should be either a “very high” (32%) or “high” (39%) priority for the government of Indonesia. An additional 24% think climate change should be a “medium” priority, while only 4% say it should be a “low” priority.

3.2. A majority of Indonesians think the government should be doing more to address climate change.

Seventy-seven percent of people in Indonesia say the government of Indonesia should be doing either “much more” (33%) or “more” (44%) to address climate change. By contrast, 13% say the government should be doing either “much less” (2%) or “less” (10%). Additionally, 8% say the government is currently doing the right amount to address climate change.

3.3. A large majority of Indonesians favor Indonesia’s participation in the Paris Climate Agreement.

In 2015, Indonesia signed an international agreement in Paris with 196 other countries to limit the pollution that causes climate change. A large majority of Indonesians (85%) say they “strongly favor” (45%) or “somewhat favor” (40%) Indonesia’s participation in the agreement. By contrast, only 10% either “strongly oppose” (2%) or “somewhat oppose” (8%) Indonesia’s participation.

3.4. Nearly all Indonesians favor a national program to teach all Indonesians about climate change.

Nearly all Indonesians either “strongly favor” (55%) or “somewhat favor” (38%) a national program to teach all Indonesians about climate change.

3.5. Most people in Indonesia favor clean energy policies.

Large majorities of people in Indonesia either “strongly” or “somewhat” favor policies that would affect energy use in Indonesia, including:

• A national program to train people for new jobs in the renewable energy industry such as wind and solar (94%).
• Building new electricity transmission lines to reach all of Indonesia (94%).
• Producing 100% of Indonesia’s electricity from renewable energy sources by 2040 (89%).
• Requiring that fuel for cars, trucks, and vans in Indonesia use 60% biodiesel (78%).
• Providing tax subsidies for electric vehicles (74%).
• Requiring new buildings to waste less water and energy, even if this increases their cost (68%).

Additionally, 30% favor eliminating government subsidies for gas cooking fuel in Indonesia, while 69% oppose doing so.

3.6. Many Indonesians favor programs to protect the environment.

Large majorities of people in Indonesia either “strongly” or “somewhat” favor policies to protect the environment in Indonesia, including:

• A national program to fund women’s groups and Indigenous communities to protect the environment (96%). 
• Increasing national funding to help smallholder farmers produce palm oil without clearing protected forests (94%).
• Preserving or expanding forested areas, even if this means less land for agriculture or housing (71%).