Balancing equity, environmental and growth objectives: a case study of electricity subsidy reform in a large polluting developing country

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ABSTRACT This article examines the impact of Indonesia’s electricity reform and meeting its 2030 carbon emissions and 2050 renewable energy targets on the country’s economic growth, carbon emissions and poverty and income distribution. Simulation results from a dynamic computable general equilibrium model show that energy reform and carbon tax in Indonesia have a regressive impact while the gasoline tax has a progressive impact. Of the two demand side policies, gasoline tax was found to be more harmful than the carbon tax, resulting in GDP loss, declining investment, higher energy prices, and rising urban and rural poverty. A hybrid policy comprising a renewable energy mix target (supply side policy) and a carbon tax (demand side policy) is a viable option for minimising GDP loss, income disparity and carbon emissions. However, the transition towards renewable energy use is fraught with challenges for Indonesia.