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[00:00.93] The area of Weda Bay is now one of the world’s largest nickel production centers.

[00:08.64] Smelters and coal-fired power plants burn to process nickel ore into material for batteries and steel.

[00:18.99] The village of Lelilef Sawai is now surrounded by the Weda Bay Industrial Park.

[00:26.70] There, the deforestation and its effects are clear.

[00:32.28] Local farmer Librek Loha remains in Lelilef Sawai, refusing to sell the land he has taken care of for forty years.

[00:44.49] Now orange dust often covers his plants and clean water is often lacking.

[00:51.67] The plants also grow more slowly, he said.

[00:56.18] From his land, he can hear building sounds and see bright orange material flow into the sea.

[01:04.41] Research shows landslides are far more likely in deforested areas.

[01:11.32] Max Sigoro, 54, is a traditional hunter and farmer.

[01:17.43] Bright lights and noise from construction scare the deer he used to hunt at night.

[01:24.87] He says he has lost nearly all the means he had to earn a living since the industrial park’s growth.

[01:33.10] PT Indonesia Weda Bay officials declined to speak to the Associated Press.

[01:40.54] The company says it has planted more than 10 square kilometers of new trees.

[01:46.92] It says it plays an active part in supporting the living standards of local people, offering economic development.

[01:56.75] And, the industrial zone meets all environmental standards, PT Indonesia Weda Bay says.

[02:05.78] The company also says it works to protect water and has launched coral and mangrove planting programs.

[02:15.34] The Weda Bay project is just one of the industrial parks criticized by locals nearby.

[02:23.84] An industrial park on the island of Borneo and other projects in North Maluku are also under community protests.

[02:33.67] Perhaps related to these public objections, European companies may be losing interest in nickel from Indonesia.

[02:43.76] In recent weeks, the French mining company Eramet and German chemical giant BASF announced they were canceling plans to build a $2.6 billion nickel plant in Indonesia.

[03:01.03] Indonesia has been seeking to work more with Tesla, which uses twice as much metal in its total production of batteries than the next highest auto competitor.

[03:13.78] The amount of nickel Tesla used in 2023 was up a third over the year before.

[03:22.01] Only 13 percent came from Indonesia last year.

[03:26.52] But Tesla’s 2023 impact report noted Indonesia 18 times and warned the country’s nickel will be very important.

[03:38.48] Tesla did not answer an AP email requesting information about its use of nickel from Indonesia and deforestation.

[03:49.37] Questions to Indonesia’s Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Coordinating Ministry of Maritime and Investment Affairs and Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources also went unanswered.