Jakarta, IO – Visitors stared at photographs displayed at the Bloody Nickel: The Dark Side of Electric Vehicles exhibition at Taman Ismail Marzuki, Jakarta, Friday (3/5).
It showcases 48 photos and art installations curated by environmental activist organizations such as Jatam, YLBHI, and Kiarav to convey the impact of the downstream nickel industry which is destroying the environment in a number of nickel producing hubs areas such as Sulawesi and Maluku. Various scenes of environmental damage can be seen, ranging from sea and air pollution, damage to clean water sources to skin diseases caused by rampant mining activities in the region.
Visitors can also see photo of the flood that hit residents’ houses in Central Halmahera regency, which was caused by the massive deforestation in the area. Nickel mining activities also damage residents’ agricultural lands, overflowing them with mud.
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For the reference, Indonesia is one of the countries with the largest nickel reserves in the world. The International Energy Agency projects an increase in world nickel production to reach at least 65 percent in 2030, driven by the need for electric vehicle batteries, in which nickel is one of the core components.
It is estimated that Indonesia supplies two-thirds of world’s demands. So far, the country has signed a number of contracts worth billions of US dollars with foreign companies that seek to invest in nickel mines and processing plants.
(IO/Septo Kun Wijaya)