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Environment as a Legal Subject in the Reconstruction of Indonesia’s Environmental Law

Indonesian Journal of Environmental Law and Sustainable Development · Vol. 4 No. 1 (2025) · pp. 95–122

DOI
10.15294/ijel.v4i1.20146
ISSN
2829-9590, 2829-9582
Published
2025-07-29
Publisher
Universitas Negeri Semarang
Language
eng
License
creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the new paradigm of recognizing the environment as a legal subject within Indonesia's legal system and its implications for environmental law enforcement. Driven by the increasingly complex environmental crisis caused by natural resource exploitation, environmental degradation, and climate change, this paradigm introduces an eco-centric approach and the theory of biocentric justice. The concept acknowledges the environment as a legal entity with intrinsic rights to exist, develop, and be restored when damaged. The research employs a normative approach with qualitative analysis methods and comparative studies of countries such as Ecuador, Bolivia, New Zealand and India which have implemented the recognition of the environment as a legal subject. The findings indicate that recognizing the environment as a legal subject in Indonesia requires comprehensive legal reforms, including constitutional amendments, the enactment of specific laws on environmental rights, strengthening law enforcement institutions, and empowering communities. This recognition is expected to enhance environmental law enforcement, establish ecological justice, and promote sustainable development. Therefore, this paradigm not only serves as a solution to the environmental crisis but also reflects Indonesia's commitment to Pancasila values and the sustainability of future generations.

Keywords

Collaboration network of the authors

40 authors · 78 co-authorship links · showing the 40 most connected

Hover or tap a name to highlight its co-authors. Double-click to open the author's page.

  • Universitas Halu Oleo
  • Universitas Sumatera Utara
  • Affiliation unknown
  • Different organisations
  • Same organisation
  • Affiliation unknown
  • Thicker line = more joint articles · bigger circle = more articles
Show as table
Co-authorOrganisationJoint articles
Ihsanul MaarifAffiliation unknown5
Kiki KristantoAffiliation unknown4
Zainal ArifinAffiliation unknown3
Aris HardinantoAffiliation unknown3
Ariesta Wibisono AndityaAffiliation unknown3
Mikhael FekaAffiliation unknown2
Emi Puasa HandayaniAffiliation unknown2
Nahdiya SabrinaAffiliation unknown2
Panca Sarjana PutraAffiliation unknown2
Papontee TeeraphanAffiliation unknown2
Cece SuryanaAffiliation unknown2
Jasafat JasafatAffiliation unknown2
Ibnu Dwi BuwonoAffiliation unknown2
Robi Assadul BahriAffiliation unknown2
Cecep KusmanaAffiliation unknown2
M. Saleh M. SalehAffiliation unknown1
La Ode SafuanUniversitas Halu Oleo1
Muhmmad ArfandiAffiliation unknown1
Joice SorayaAffiliation unknown1
PujiyonoAffiliation unknown1
R.B SulartoAffiliation unknown1
Ana Tasia PaseAffiliation unknown1
Hendri DwiyantoAffiliation unknown1
Agus ManfaluthiAffiliation unknown1
Timotius Febry Cristian Wahyu SutrisnoAffiliation unknown1
Trinas Dewi HariyanaAffiliation unknown1
Ali Huristak Hartawan HasibuanAffiliation unknown1
Benny SumardianaAffiliation unknown1
Eka Nugraha PutraAffiliation unknown1
Mahmud MulyadiUniversitas Sumatera Utara1
Achmad CholidinAffiliation unknown1
Anis WidyawatiAffiliation unknown1
Kasmanto RinaldiAffiliation unknown1
Fikri Chandra PermanaAffiliation unknown1
Anastasia Wahyu MurbaniAffiliation unknown1

Affiliations come from OpenAlex; journal OAI-PMH metadata carries none. Authors without an OpenAlex ID are matched by name, which can merge or split people.

Metadata source: OAI-PMH (metadata jurnal) https://journal.unnes.ac.id/journals/ijel/oai, first harvested 5 Nov 2026, last seen 8 Nov 2026.
Original metadata (oai_dc) 
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	<dc:title xml:lang="en">Environment as a Legal Subject in the Reconstruction of Indonesia’s Environmental Law</dc:title>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Fernando, Zico Junius</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Sinaga, Lestari</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Iskandar, Iskandar</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Mardin, Nurhayati</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Arifin, Firdaus</dc:creator>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">Environment as a Legal Subject, Eco-Centrism, Biocentric Justice, Legal Reform, Environmental Law Enforcement.</dc:subject>
	<dc:description xml:lang="en">This study aims to analyze the new paradigm of recognizing the environment as a legal subject within Indonesia's legal system and its implications for environmental law enforcement. Driven by the increasingly complex environmental crisis caused by natural resource exploitation, environmental degradation, and climate change, this paradigm introduces an eco-centric approach and the theory of biocentric justice. The concept acknowledges the environment as a legal entity with intrinsic rights to exist, develop, and be restored when damaged. The research employs a normative approach with qualitative analysis methods and comparative studies of countries such as Ecuador, Bolivia, New Zealand and India which have implemented the recognition of the environment as a legal subject. The findings indicate that recognizing the environment as a legal subject in Indonesia requires comprehensive legal reforms, including constitutional amendments, the enactment of specific laws on environmental rights, strengthening law enforcement institutions, and empowering communities. This recognition is expected to enhance environmental law enforcement, establish ecological justice, and promote sustainable development. Therefore, this paradigm not only serves as a solution to the environmental crisis but also reflects Indonesia's commitment to Pancasila values and the sustainability of future generations.
 </dc:description>
	<dc:publisher xml:lang="en">Universitas Negeri Semarang</dc:publisher>
	<dc:date>2025-07-29</dc:date>
	<dc:type>info:eu-repo/semantics/article</dc:type>
	<dc:type>info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion</dc:type>
	<dc:format>application/pdf</dc:format>
	<dc:identifier>https://journal.unnes.ac.id/journals/ijel/article/view/20146</dc:identifier>
	<dc:identifier>10.15294/ijel.v4i1.20146</dc:identifier>
	<dc:source xml:lang="en">Indonesian Journal of Environmental Law and Sustainable Development; Vol. 4 No. 1 (2025): January-June, 2025; 95-122</dc:source>
	<dc:source>2829-9590</dc:source>
	<dc:source>2829-9582</dc:source>
	<dc:language>eng</dc:language>
	<dc:relation>https://journal.unnes.ac.id/journals/ijel/article/view/20146/5247</dc:relation>
	<dc:rights xml:lang="en">Copyright (c) 2025 Zico Junius Fernando, Lestari Victoria Sinaga, Iskandar Iskandar, Nurhayati Mardin, Firdaus Arifin (Author)</dc:rights>
	<dc:rights xml:lang="en">https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0</dc:rights>
</oai_dc:dc>