Greenpeace Study Links 41% of Climate Impacts to Rising Food Costs
Food consumption and related expenses accounted for 41 percent of reported climate impacts on households in three metropolitan areas on Java, according to a study released by Greenpeace Indonesia. The findings emerged as the organization urged the administration of President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka to strengthen climate action and address mounting living costs.
The research, titled Tomorrow, Prices Will Rise! An Overview of the Climate Crisis’s Impact on Workplaces, Dining Tables and Homes, examined eight community groups across Greater Jakarta, the Bandung Basin, and Greater Yogyakarta, including the Kartamantul area. Following food costs, declining productivity and income made up 39 percent of reported impacts, while housing access and transportation costs accounted for the remaining 20 percent.
Activists Stage Protest at the Welcome Monument
The study’s release coincided with a peaceful protest on October 20, 2026, marking the second anniversary of the Prabowo-Gibran administration taking office. Activists from Greenpeace Indonesia unfurled two large banners from the Tugu Selamat Datang (Welcome) monument at the Hotel Indonesia Roundabout in Central Jakarta.
One banner read “Take Action on the Climate Crisis, Bring Down the Cost of Living,” facing north toward the Presidential Palace, while the other asked “Disasters Are Rising, People Are Struggling, What Is the Government Doing?” facing south. Jeanny Sirait, a climate justice campaigner for Greenpeace Indonesia, stated that extreme weather and ecological disasters were disrupting livelihoods, reducing incomes, and driving up food prices.
Police Evacuate Activists After Landmark Demonstration
Following the demonstration, Central Jakarta police, military personnel, and Jakarta administration officials evacuated six activists—two women and four men—from the top of the monument, according to Central Jakarta Police Chief Reynold E.P. Hutagalung. One female activist appeared weak during the descent and was transported by ambulance to the medical clinic at the Jakarta Metropolitan Police headquarters.
Accounts regarding the subsequent detentions differed among officials and legal representatives. Budi Hermanto, head of public relations at the Jakarta Metropolitan Police, stated that officers arranged medical assistance and that no arrest took place, emphasizing that police prioritized the activists’ physical well-being. However, Daniel Winarta, a lawyer representing the group from the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH Jakarta), reported that six activists were detained on Tuesday and held for approximately 10 hours before being released at 8:30 p.m. following identity checks and medical examinations.
Households Alter Spending and Work Habits to Cope
The Greenpeace study documented widespread financial adjustments among respondents dealing with climate-related economic pressures. To manage rising costs, 57.34 percent of respondents reduced non-essential spending to save between Rp50,000 and Rp1 million per month, while 38.78 percent grew staple foods at home to save between Rp80,000 and Rp500,000 monthly.
Additionally, 56.79 percent of respondents took on additional work or started new businesses, earning an extra Rp500,000 to Rp2.5 million per month. Atha Rasyadi, head of the social and economic campaign team at Greenpeace Indonesia, questioned official economic growth figures in light of these domestic struggles, pointing out the financial strain experienced by fishers, ride-hailing drivers, and freelancers.
Government Responds to Environmental and Economic Concerns
Syahganda Nainggolan, head of the government communications agency, stated that the administration respects Greenpeace’s protest as an exercise of freedom of expression. He added that President Prabowo Subianto shares concerns regarding the impact of the climate crisis and public living costs, and noted that the government continues to implement policies addressing environmental challenges while protecting purchasing power.
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