The Hidden Climate Struggles of Marginalized Youth in Indonesia
A study by PUSKAPA highlights how marginalized Indonesian youth are disproportionately affected by slow-onset climate change. Lacking the language of climate politics, these groups endure daily environmental injustices that government policies often fail to address through technical, non-inclusive approaches.
Highlights
- •Marginalized Indonesian youth often overlook slow-onset climate change as a normal daily struggle.
- •The study identifies four critical forms of climate injustice, including procedural, distributive, recognitional, and intergenerational gaps.
- •Heavy reliance on technical infrastructure solutions often ignores the underlying socio-economic challenges faced by vulnerable communities.
- •Meaningful youth involvement requires safe spaces that validate individual experiences and turn them into actionable policy advocacy.
Marginalized children and youth in Indonesia are facing the silent, yet devastating impacts of climate change. While the narrative often focuses on dramatic natural disasters, a 2024 participatory study conducted by PUSKAPA in Jakarta, Pekalongan, and Pontianak reveals that vulnerable young populations frequently endure slow-onset environmental shifts without realizing they are victims of a broader climate crisis.
For many families living in poverty, indicators of this crisis include rising temperatures, pervasive haze, and increasing costs for clean water. Persistent flooding has also begun to erode their living spaces and traditional recreational areas. Because these changes occur incrementally, many young people have internalized them as a normal part of daily life rather than recognizing them as an urgent political and environmental issue.
Understanding the Four Forms of Climate Injustice
The research emphasizes that these young individuals are subjected to what experts call "slow violence," characterized by gradual, long-term degradation that often evades public policy attention. The study highlights four distinct forms of climate injustice affecting these vulnerable groups:
First, there is procedural injustice, where governmental bodies fail to provide adequate information or include young people in climate-related decision-making processes. Second, distributive injustice occurs when the assistance and resources provided by the state do not match the severity of the climate-related challenges these communities face.
Third, recognitional injustice stems from a government tendency to downplay the severity of gradual climate impacts, operating under the assumption that marginalized communities can recover autonomously. Finally, intergenerational injustice is evident in the lack of long-term government strategies aimed at securing the future for younger citizens who will be most affected by these ongoing environmental changes.
Shifting Towards Meaningful Youth Participation
Current climate policies often lean too heavily on technical engineering fixes, such as constructing sea walls or drainage systems. While essential, these approaches frequently overlook the underlying social and economic realities of local citizens. Furthermore, existing climate data rarely captures the nuanced, daily impacts on health, education, and social safety nets.
To move toward true justice, society must foster more meaningful youth participation. This requires creating safe environments where young people can articulate their experiences without external pressure. It involves validating their knowledge, connecting their individual struggles to larger sociopolitical structures, and providing them with real channels to translate their concerns into actionable changes. By empowering the next generation, we can move from mere survival to sustainable, climate-resilient solutions that address the root causes of environmental inequality.
