Decarbonizing Cultural Heritage: A Low-Carbon Development Strategy for Indonesia’s Iconic Cultural Tourism

Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (TMII) serves as a critical nexus for cultural preservation and tourism; however, its operations have historically contributed significantly to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through fossil-fuel-dependent land transportation. Following its recent 'Green, Smart, and Cultured' revitalization, this study evaluates the efficacy of transitioning from internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs) to battery electric vehicles (BEVs) in mitigating the site’s carbon footprint. Utilizing the 2006 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) guidelines, we calculated and compared annual CO2 equivalent (CO2e) emissions before and after the revitalization. The results demonstrate a baseline emission of 2,405,095.6 kgCO2e/year, primarily driven by ICEVs. Post-revitalization, the integration of 37 electric vehicles (Angling EVs) achieved a remarkable 98% reduction in annual emissions, amounting to 2,360,695.6 kgCO2e/year. While this confirms that vehicle electrification is a highly effective direct mitigation strategy, the remaining residual emissions of 44,400 kgCO2e/year highlight the critical necessity of decarbonizing energy sources to achieve true near-zero operational status. These findings offer an empirically justified, scalable model for large-scale cultural tourism destinations globally, demonstrating that rigorous infrastructure transformation is essential for aligning heritage conservation with ambitious national and global climate targets and sustainable development goals.