Protecting Environmental Rights in the Age of Climate Crisis: Toward a Rights-Based Framework for Sustainable Governance
Keywords:
Environmental Rights, Climate Crisis, Sustainable Governance, Climate Justice, Rights-Based ApproachAbstract
The climate crisis poses serious threats to environmental sustainability and human well-being in Indonesia, including floods, droughts, forest fires, sea-level rise, biodiversity loss, and ecosystem degradation. These impacts endanger environmental rights, which are protected under international law and the Indonesian Constitution. This study analyzes the legal protection of environmental rights in Indonesia amid the climate crisis and formulates a rights-based framework for sustainable governance. Using normative legal research with statutory, conceptual, and comparative approaches, this study examines constitutional provisions, environmental laws, climate regulations, international agreements, legal doctrines, scholarly literature, and policy documents. The findings show that Indonesia has established a substantial legal framework for environmental protection and climate governance. However, its implementation remains constrained by regulatory fragmentation, weak enforcement, limited public participation, poor institutional coordination, and environmental justice issues affecting vulnerable communities. The study argues that climate change directly undermines environmental rights by limiting access to essential resources and increasing social vulnerability. Therefore, a rights-based governance framework grounded in participation, transparency, accountability, equality, access to justice, and intergenerational equity is needed. Strengthening environmental rights through this approach is essential to achieving effective climate governance, environmental justice, and long-term sustainability in Indonesia.
References
Ananingati. (2025). Protecting Vulnerable Communities from the Impacts of Climate Change in Indonesia: Synergy Between Environmental Law and Human Rights. KnE Social Sciences, 10, 59–67. https://doi.org/10.18502/kss.v10i27.20049
Arifin, R., Rodiyah, R., & Wulansarie, R. (2023). Climate justice in Indonesian environmental protection: past, present and future challenges. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 1248(1), 12037. IOP Publishing.
Dwiani, U., Oktapiani, W. P., Awaliyah, S. U., & Az-Zahra, J. (2025). Hak atas Lingkungan Hidup yang Baik dan Sehat sebagai Hak Asasi Manusia: Tantangan Konstitusional dan Implementasinya di Indonesia. Journal of Legal, Political, and Humanistic Inquiry, 1(2), 248–257.
Ergiarti, R. N. (2025). Environmental Justice in the Era of Climate Change: Legal Protection for Vulnerable Communtities in Indonesia. KnE Social Sciences, 10(26), 526–534.
Greiber, T. (2009). Conservation with justice: a rights-based approach. IUCN.
Iskandar, I., Pratiwi, A. D., Budiman, T. N., Saedi, H. C., & Santoso, E. (2025). Legal Dynamics of Environmental Governance within the Framework of Sustainable Development in Indonesia. MAQASIDI: Jurnal Syariah Dan Hukum, 211–221.
Karoma, M. D., Hikamullah, M. N., Rizqi, N., Adha, N. S., & Kamil, M. W. (2025). Reframing Environmental Protection as a Core Human Right in National and International Law. CAUSALITY: Journal National Public Issues, 2(3), 1–10.
Kazanskaia, A. N. (2025). Understanding Rights-Based Approaches in Development. NEYA Global Journal of Non-Profit Studies. https://doi.org/10.64357/neya-gjnps-hm-rght-dv-02
Kesek, M. N. (2025). The Role of Environmental Law in Addressing Climate Change: An Analysis of Law Enforcement and Compliance in Indonesia. International Journal of Business, Law, and Education, 6(2), 1269–1274.
Limon, M. (2022). United Nations recognition of the universal right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment: An eyewitness account. Review of European, Comparative & International Environmental Law, 31(2), 155–170.
Mohammad, F., Sutjahjo, S. H., Effendi, H., Sitanggang, I. S., & Sasongko, D. P. (2025). Transformasi Kerangka Hukum Lingkungan Indonesia melalui Next Generation Framework: Evaluasi Normatif-Praktis Tata Kelola Terpadu. Bina Hukum Lingkungan, 10(1), 119–137.
Pelengkahu, M. (2025). Mitigating sea-level rise in Indonesia: A policy approach through social protection and sustainable water governance. Journal of Environment and Sustainability, 9(3), 347–360.
Prasetya, B. (2025). Integrating Environmental Justice and Human Rights in Climate Law: A Systematic Review of the Protection of Vulnerable Communities. KnE Social Sciences, 10(26), 480–491.
Puspitasari, E. R., & Arumbinang, M. H. (2025). Climate Justice and Legal Frameworks in Indonesia: Ensuring Equity for Marginalized Communities in Green Policy Implementation. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 1566(1), 12029. IOP Publishing.
Qurbani, I. D., Satriawan, I., & Fathi, M. (2025). Human Rights and Environmental Protection: Case Studies from Indonesia. E3S Web of Conferences, 660, 2012. EDP Sciences.
Romulus. (2025). The Role of Environmental Law in Encouraging Climate Adaptation Towards Net Zero Emissions in Indonesia. KnE Social Sciences, 10, 434–442. https://doi.org/10.18502/kss.v10i26.20023
Satriawan, I., Qurbani, I. D., & Fathi, M. (2025). Green Constitution in Practice: Environmental Policy Analysis During the Jokowi Era. E3S Web of Conferences, 660, 2006. EDP Sciences.
Shokhikhah, Z. K. (2025). Hak konstitusional generasi mendatang atas lingkungan hidup layak. Jurnal Riset Rumpun Ilmu Sosial, Politik Dan Humaniora, 4(3), 175–186.
Sitorus, R., & Sinaga, J. (2024). Regulations, policies, and governance in achieve sustainable development goals. Indonesian Journal of Interdisciplinary Research in Science and Technology (MARCOPOLO), 2(5).
Sumartini, N. W. E., Susilawati, N., Cristiana, E., & Dewi, N. P. P. (2025). Kedudukan hak atas lingkungan hidup yang bersih, sehat, dan berkelanjutan dalam sistem hukum Indonesia. Satya Dharma: Jurnal Ilmu Hukum, 8(2), 537–550.
Supardiono. (2025). Integration of Sustainable Development Principles in the Revision of Law No.32 of 2009 on Environmental Protection and Management. KnE Social Sciences, 10, 498–505. https://doi.org/10.18502/kss.v10i27.20086
Suryawati, N. (2021). Environmental Development as the Embodiment of Ecocracy Ideas in Green Constitution through Environmental Aware Culture. COMMUNITY SERVICE IN THE MIDST OF THE COVID-19, 2021(April), 194–199.
Susanto, A., Baralaska, S., & Jaelani, A. (2024). Constitutional Rights and Environmental Protection in Indonesia from a Legal and Policy Perspective. Jurnal Legisci, 2(2), 121–129.
Tanjung, R., Andini, Y., Meisandi, H., Dongoran, N. S., & Syamsiah, S. (2025). Tantangan dan Prospek Penegakan Hukum Lingkungan di Indonesia. AKSIOMA: Jurnal Sains Ekonomi Dan Edukasi, 2(12), 2720–2727.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Abdul Kholiq, Vera Arida, Tiwuk Herawati, Mieke Anggraeni Dewi, Sunarto Sunarto
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
