Have you watched Jatuh Cinta Seperti di Film-film? The movie was delivered in black and white concept, yet I personally think that the story was flowing beautifully and deeply meaning.

But if we truly live in a world that only has two colors–black and white–could we still be happy, fall in love, or will we just be like the old man who says “Sudah jatuh tertimpa tangga”?

When I was little, every time I watched old shows on television, I naively thought that people in the past really lived in a world of black and white. I even felt sorry for them, thinking that they had never seen a blue sky, shady trees with green grass, yellow sun rays giving a hug every morning, or the brown living earth beneath their feet. Little did I know, it was only because of cameras back then and it didn’t mean that the world itself was only black and white. 

2025 is nearly over — will we end up living in a black-and-white world?

Today, we can still enjoy the abundance of colors in life as a blessing from God. Yet, have you noticed that recently our sky is gray most of the time rather than blue sky? It is indeed a simple thing, but we always take it for granted, aren’t we? Why is the sky losing its vibrancy?

The thing is, it is due to pollutants from many sources, such as transportation, waste mismanagement, and coal-fired power plants. You may be familiar with the first two resources, but what about coal-fired power plants? Did you know about it? 

Well, Indonesia is endowed with abundant natural resources, such as coal, oil, and gas which are utilized as fossil energy sources. For more than 8 decades, Indonesia has heavily relied on fossil energy like coal to light up homes and run the economic sector. According to CREA, Indonesia owned roughly 267 units of coal-fired plants in 2024 which were mostly on Java island. At the same time, Nafas has recorded that Indonesia was experiencing a spike in pollution, which was 11 times higher than the WHO limits. Though it is expected to bring some light, it seems the cost of coal is beyond what was expected; it ignites a crisis: a crisis of air, health, economy, and of life itself. Ironically, the Indonesian government still chooses coal rather than boldly shifting fast to renewable energy. IESR data shows that Indonesia has a renewable energy potential of more than 443 GW because every region and island has that potential. With policies that support and facilitate its development, Indonesia will become one of the strongest countries in the world.

While the world begins to phase out coal, where are we moving towards?

We are not the one who keeps moving forward; our money does too. The money we keep in banks unknowingly sustains the coal industry that potentially burns our future. A study by Bersihkan Bankmu mentioned that several domestic banks in Indonesia have channeled up to USD 5.6 billion or IDR 93.46 trillion into the coal sector. Imagine if that amount of money were used for things that truly enrich our lives through better education, strengthening healthcare, or securing our future. Instead, our money flows into a sector that pollutes the air we breathe and dims the world we see. 

Let’s pause for a moment and peel back the layers. Why do our domestic banks still choose to fund the coal sector? 

Domestic banks in Indonesia are picking up the financing gap left by international financial institutions that have begun withdrawing from coal. Globally, Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) mentioned that more than 100 financial institutions have already divested from coal projects. A recent study by CERAH also found that although many banks in Indonesia recognize the urgency of the climate crisis, there is still a clear gap between awareness and concrete action. Decisions related to sustainable or ESG financing remain driven by compliance, guided more by government regulations rather than by internal initiatives. At the same time, banks are justified in taking a pragmatic approach toward coal financing. Consequently, renewables are still seen merely as a supplement rather than a main energy source, and their development remains limited in Indonesia. 

In short, Indonesia’s banking sector holds the potential to drive the renewable transition. But without clear regulatory direction and adequate market incentives, this potential remains on hold, waiting for the signal to move. 

It is understandable that the transition from coal will not happen overnight. Every shift in investment, every policy change, and every act of accountability play an important role in accelerating toward a cleaner and more sustainable future. Indonesia’s banks have a choice whether to stay comfortable in the shade of the old economy or to help paint a new blue sky powered by clean energy and collective courage. The colors are there, and all we need is the will to bring them back to life. 

“In a place that makes you change, fall in love again and again.”

Just like Charli xcx says in her song “Everything is romantic”, let’s fall in love again and again, this time with our earth. It might sound cliché, but we have only one planet to call home, and the romantic scene will end when we can breathe deeply and be happy. So let’s make the most of it and protect it.

If there’s more that you wish to learn more of the complicity of banks and the coal industry, you can check the full story through here.