UK Ambassador to Indonesia Dominic Jermey says policy makers and the government need to create an environment that enables economic growth, while at the same time having environment in place that ensures that transition to net zero emission will happen.
“Indonesia and the United Kingdom are both island nations. We have unique experience and lessons to share, overcoming some of the geographical challenges that being island nations brings in particular to modernizing our energy system, ” Ambassador Jermey said while addressing the Indonesia Energy Transition Dialog 2024 in Jakarta on Monday, November 4, 2024.
He said that just a few weeks ago the United Kingdom achieved a major milestone in its journey toward net zero, i.e. the closure of its coal-fired power plant. UK, he added, had been addicted to coal plant for many hundreds of years.
“As the industrial revolution began in the 17th century, 18th century, by the time we got to the 1950s, 90 percent of our electricity supply came from coal. Only 12 years ago, in 2012, only 40 percent of our electricity supply came from coal. Today, zero of our electricity supply came from coal.” he said.
Ambassador Jermey cited that there were a number of elements on how the UK manages the energy transition, including technology.
“Technology undeniably has played a significant role in energy transition. One of the challenge with technology is cost. However, over time, the cost has come down at an increasingly rapid rate,” he said.
In addition to technology, innovative policies and regulation that incentivize investment and private sector participation have been absolutely essential to success.
The UK Ambassador said business opportunity and diversification must move away from coal to a wide range of renewable energies.
“The government needs to create a policy environment that encourages businesses to invest because there is a consumptive environment for growth in renewable energy sectors and certainty about returns that you’ll get from that investment,” he said.
Ambassador Jermey said the UK is committed to deliver climate ambition not only at home, but also with partners like Indonesia, because these are global challenges that require global action.
He said further that the UK recognizes that each country approaches this with its own unique context and circumstances, and there is absolutely no one-size-fits-all for decarbonization.
“Every country, nations like Indonesia, have to find their own way towards a sustainable future,” he concluded.
