Helping to create progress on Indonesia's energy transition by reframing the policy narrative

Publications from think tanks are often comprehensive, spanning many pages and using technical language. These documents are typically designed to inform policy and reflect in-depth research, but not all stakeholders, such as legislative members, business leaders, local officials, or even the public have the time, background, or motivation to engage with such material in its original form. Moreover, different stakeholders often have varying priorities, incentives, and levels of influence.

This is where C4C can add value. We help think tanks translate their research into more accessible, targeted formats, whether that's in the form of a slide deck, or an infographic video. More importantly, we tailor these outputs to speak directly to the specific interests and concerns of each stakeholder group. By doing so, we not only increase the chances that the message is heard, but also that it drives the intended action, be it policy adoption, funding support, or cross-sector collaboration.

We supported SUSTAIN (Yayasan Kesejahteraan Berkelanjutan Indonesia) in sparking discussions about their energy transition policy recommendation among policymakers and the public

Energy transition has become a key focus within the environmental sector, and the Indonesian government has set its own targets in this area, presenting its own set of challenges. One of the major hurdles is the country's ongoing economic pressure. Compounding this is Indonesia's failure to meet its renewable energy target of 23% in the national energy mix, which currently stands at only 14-15%. Additionally, updating its Paris Agreement and NDC commitments to reflect a stronger global stance remains a pressing priority.

As one of Indonesia's leading environmental think tanks focused on energy transition, SUSTAIN has developed an evidence-based policy recommendation aimed at helping the government address its economic challenges while advancing energy transition goals.

However, gaining support for these recommendations requires more than just sound research. It calls for strategic communication, reframing the policy into a more accessible format, tailoring it to the interests and incentives of key stakeholders, and anticipating political risks. Policy change is rarely driven by evidence alone; political will and context play a crucial role.

To address this, SUSTAIN partnered with Communication for Change (C4C) to reframe its policy recommendation in a way that aligns with stakeholders' political priorities and presents it in a more accessible format. The reframing approach was showcased during their policy launch event, which garnered national media coverage from Kompas, Tribun, Liputan6, and many more.

Different interest between think-tanks and policy stakeholders

SUSTAIN's core agenda is to advance Indonesia's energy transition by promoting policies that could accelerate the shift toward renewable energy and sustainable development. However, policymakers often operate within a complex landscape shaped by shifting political priorities, economic pressures, and competing stakeholder interests. As a result, their agendas may not always align with long-term environmental goals. Instead, they may focus on short-term economic growth, job creation, energy affordability, or maintaining political stability, factors that can sometimes delay or complicate the adoption of energy transition policies. Bridging this gap requires aligning evidence-based recommendations with the political and economic realities that decision-makers face.

Gathering evidence and developing a policy recommendation is one challenge; presenting it to stakeholders in a way that drives action is another challenge entirely

Developing a policy recommendation through rigorous research is one thing, but presenting it to stakeholders in a way that gains approval or sparks meaningful discussion is a completely different challenge. Strong evidence is essential, but it's rarely enough on its own. Stakeholders operate under time constraints, competing interests, and political considerations. They may not have the capacity or motivation to engage with lengthy, technical documents. This means that how a recommendation is communicated is just as important as the content itself. To make an impact, a policy proposal must be strategically framed: tailored to the interests and incentives of the audience, aligned with current political and economic realities, and delivered in a format that is clear, concise, and actionable.

Based on the problems, we started reframing SUSTAIN's policy recommendation through these strategic steps

Breaking down the logic to craft the overarching framing narrative

Crafting an effective policy narrative isn't just about simplifying information, it requires breaking down the underlying logic of your recommendation to build a compelling, coherent story that resonates with your target audience. This process starts by identifying the core issue your policy seeks to address, then connecting it to the specific interests, values, and incentives of key stakeholders. In SUSTAIN's case, they recognized that the new government administration is facing significant economic challenges and addressed this by highlighting how prioritizing the energy transition can actually support economic growth. However, the recommendation fell short in articulating the urgency amid these economic pressures, so we highlighted the risks of inaction and the incentives of action in reframing the policy narrative.

Understanding the end goal of the policy as well as its stakeholders

To communicate a policy effectively, it is essential to understand two things: the ultimate goal the policy aims to achieve, and the people who have the power or influence to make that goal a reality. In SUSTAIN's context, the end goal of their policy recommendation is the implementation of a levy on coal mining businesses in Indonesia, generating a new source of government revenue to accelerate the energy transition. SUSTAIN aims to target the Prabowo administration with this recommendation. Once we understand the end goal and the key stakeholders, we can define the central thesis we want them to remember: "Despite current economic challenges, Indonesia's energy transition remains feasible and we can prioritize it." To support this thesis, a "from-to" table was developed to clearly show the intended shifts in stakeholder perspectives.

Consider risks and pushback from the narrative

Once the end goal and target stakeholders are clearly identified, the next crucial step is to consider potential risks, pushback, and conflicting interests that may arise, and to proactively integrate these insights into the overarching narrative. In SUSTAIN's case, proposing a levy on coal mining businesses may face resistance from industry players, local governments reliant on coal revenues, or policymakers wary of short-term economic repercussions. Rather than presenting the policy as a simple win-win, the narrative frames the energy transition as a necessary and strategic choice that requires trade-offs but offers long-term resilience and economic diversification.

Craft the language from "research-jargon language" to common language that is easy to understand

One of the biggest barriers to getting a policy recommendation noticed and acted upon is the way it's written. That's why it's important to translate research-heavy, jargon-filled language into clear, simple, and relatable terms. In practice, this means replacing abstract phrases with real-life examples and breaking down complex ideas into smaller, digestible parts. Instead of saying "implement fiscal instruments to internalize externalities," we might say "introduce taxes or incentives so that polluters pay for the damage they cause." How you say something matters just as much as what you're saying.