YouGov Survey Finds Bank Financing Contributes to Climate Change

Jakarta – A YouGov survey conducted for Market Forces shows that a majority of Indonesian respondents, 60 percent or three in five, believe that banking contributes significantly to climate change if it continues to fund coal mining and the construction of coal-fired power plants. “Approximately 71 percent of Indonesians also believe that banks should not finance companies or projects with high greenhouse gas emissions that worsen climate change,” said Ginanjar Ariyasuta, Campaign Spokesperson for Market Forces in Indonesia, in a statement from Jakarta on Tuesday. “This is an important alarm, not only for the banking sector but also for the critical minerals industry in Indonesia. The survey must be taken seriously by banks when deciding where to allocate funds in the future,” he continued. The survey also shows that 43 percent of Indonesians would consider changing banks if they still financed new coal projects. Additionally, 66 percent of Indonesians hope that when banks commit to no longer financing new coal projects, this should also be implemented for all types of coal projects, including captive coal-fired plants built for industrial needs, such as nickel and aluminium smelters. The survey, titled “Banks and Coal Financing: Public Perception Survey across Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore,” also captured public views in Malaysia and Singapore. The survey of 4,000 respondents across the three countries was conducted in March 2026, with 2,000 respondents from Indonesia.