Drone footage obtained by environmental campaigners and shared with the BBC reveals the stark environmental impact of nickel mining in Raja Ampat, Indonesia, a globally significant marine biodiversity hotspot often called the “Amazon of the Seas.”
Nickel mining, crucial for electric vehicle batteries and stainless steel, has significantly expanded in recent years, according to Global Witness.
In a positive development for conservationists, the Indonesian government recently revoked permits for four of five mining companies operating in the region.
The Indonesian Ministry for the Environment stated online: “Raja Ampat’s biodiversity is a world heritage that must be protected. We pay great attention to mining activities in the area.”
However, Global Witness’s investigation includes photographic evidence of pre-existing environmental damage. Aerial images show deforestation and sediment runoff affecting coral reefs.
Global Witness reports a 500-hectare increase in mining land use between 2020 and 2024 across the archipelago.
Concerns remain, with organizations like Greenpeace expressing apprehension about potential legal challenges reversing the government’s decision. One company, operating on Gag Island, a region with substantial nickel deposits, retains its permit, though the government has pledged ecological restoration.
Dr. Mark Erdmann, a coral reef conservationist, expressed delight at the permit revocations, emphasizing Raja Ampat’s global importance for marine biodiversity and highlighting public pressure as a catalyst for government action.
This situation underscores the environmental challenges inherent in the demand for metals vital to low-carbon technologies. Indonesia’s dominance in global nickel production, exceeding half the world’s output, as noted in a 2023 Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis report, further emphasizes this concern.
While Raja Ampat’s prominence highlights the issue, similar ecological damage from mining has been documented elsewhere. A 2024 Forest Watch Indonesia study linked deforestation from mining to increased flooding and landslides.
The global demand for critical minerals drives economic policies, as illustrated by President Trump’s executive order to mine deep-sea metallic nodules—a move deemed illegal by China.
Dr. Erdmann acknowledges Indonesia’s complex balancing act between economic growth and environmental protection, while Dr. Michaela Guo Ying Lo’s 2024 Sulawesi study reveals that while nickel mining slightly reduced poverty, it significantly worsened environmental well-being.
Imam Shofwan of Jatam highlights the irony of nickel, touted as a climate solution, causing deforestation and destroying farmland, particularly affecting low-lying coastal areas vulnerable to climate change.
Dr. Erdmann concludes by questioning the acceptable level of environmental damage in pursuit of electrification, emphasizing the inherent dilemma of nickel mining.
The Indonesian government did not respond to the BBC’s request for comment.