Risk communication and energy resilience in urban Indonesia: insights from the community program for climate

Background Urban Indonesia is vulnerable to climate change impacts such as flooding, heat stress, and energy insecurity. While risk communication has been widely studied in health and disaster contexts, its role in shaping urban energy resilience remains underexplored, particularly in the Global South. This study addresses how risk communication and participatory engagement contribute to community-based energy resilience within the Community Program for Climate (ProKlim). Methods A qualitative multi-site case study was conducted across five ProKlim communities in Greater Jakarta. Data were collected through interviews, focus groups, participant observation, and document analysis, and analyzed using NVivo-assisted thematic coding with open, axial, and thematic synthesis. Results Findings reveal that resilience is mediated and precarious rather than durable. Risk communication operated through informal brokers and stratified participation; energy innovations were fragile and opportunistic; and governance structures remained fragmented. These mechanisms show that resilience emerges through negotiation and adaptation rather than institutional stability. Conclusion The study advances risk communication theory by conceptualizing mediated precarious resilience, highlighting the socio-technical and governance dimensions of energy resilience. It contributes globally relevant insights into participatory climate governance in the Global South, guiding policymakers and practitioners to design inclusive communication strategies that reduce uncertainty and embed resilience within sustainable urban transitions.