From Short-Term Gain to Long-Term Sustainability: Analogies of Coal Mining and Renewable Energy in the Context of Climate Change in Samarinda

DOI

10.2991/978-2-38476-517-1_25How to use a DOI?

Keywords

coal mining; climate change; renewable energy; governance; sustainability

Abstract

Samarinda, as one of the largest coal mining centers in Indonesia, is currently confronted with a paradox between the short-term economic benefits of extractive industries and the long-term environmental and social risks. This study adopts a narrative literature review approach to synthesize findings from previous research, government reports, and civil society documents on the relationship between coal mining, climate change, and local vulnerability in Samarinda. To illustrate this dynamic, several analogies are employed: coal mining is described as an “instant benefit,” similar to the use of a credit card that provides quick economic gains while leaving behind a growing “climate debt” manifested in carbon emissions, watershed degradation, and recurring floods. In contrast, renewable energy is framed as a form of long-term savings that demands initial investment and patience but ensures ecological stability and social resilience in the future. The reviewed literature demonstrates that intensive mining activities have contributed to land subsidence, disruption of the Mahakam River basin, increasing greenhouse gas emissions, and limited effectiveness of reclamation policies. These findings underscore the urgent need for a paradigm shift in Samarinda’s energy governance. Rather than relying solely on extractive revenue, the city must embrace a strategy that integrates renewable energy development, climate-responsive spatial planning, and inclusive participation of civil society to achieve sustainable urban development.

Copyright

© 2025 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Melati Dama
AU  - Pipit Afrianti
AU  - Henny Sulistiawati
AU  - Edy Wahyudi
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/12/24
TI  - From Short-Term Gain to Long-Term Sustainability: Analogies of Coal Mining and Renewable Energy in the Context of Climate Change in Samarinda
BT  - Proceedings of the Borobudur Conference on Public Administration (BCPA 2025)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 299
EP  - 314
SN  - 2352-5398
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-38476-517-1_25
DO  - 10.2991/978-2-38476-517-1_25
ID  - Dama2025
ER  -