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Environmental Criminal Law as a Tool for Ecological Protection: Interpreting the Constitution in the Context of Environmental Crimes

Semarang State University Undergraduate Law and Society Review · Vol. 5 No. 2 (2025) · pp. 1013–1056

DOI
10.15294/lsr.v5i2.30327
ISSN
2807-8683, 2807-8225
Published
2025-07-15
Publisher
Faculty of Law, Universitas Negeri Semarang
Language
eng

Abstract

This article comprehensively analyzes the Indonesian Constitution as a crucial foundation and solid bulwark for strengthening Environmental Criminal Law. Given the alarming global ecological crisis, characterized by massive deforestation, uncontrolled pollution, biodiversity loss, and excessive resource exploitation, reforming the criminal law framework to be adaptive, responsive, and progressive is urgent. This research firmly argues that the Constitution isn't just a general, declarative legal umbrella; it intrinsically embodies fundamental constitutional values and principles. These include every citizen's right to a good and healthy environment and the state's obligation to protect it, which must be actively interpreted, internalized, and expanded into all norms and practices of Environmental Criminal Law enforcement. Using a normative-juridical approach focused on analyzing legal texts, doctrines, and court decisions, this article systematically examines how in-depth constitutional interpretation and creative elaboration of principles can catalyze stronger, more comprehensive, and ecologically just environmental criminal regulations. The discussion identifies and critically analyzes structural and substantive weaknesses in current environmental criminal law enforcement, such as evidentiary challenges, weak sanctions, and limited scope of legal subjects. Furthermore, this article explores the Constitution's potential to legitimize overcoming these obstacles. This includes strengthening criminal sanctions for proportional deterrence, expanding the definition of environmental crimes to encompass new and complex ecological offenses, and enhancing more effective corporate accountability mechanisms. Ultimately, this article affirms that reforming and developing Environmental Criminal Law, firmly rooted in constitutional values and principles, is an absolute prerequisite for building a holistic and sustainable environmental protection system. This step is essential in preventing further ecological degradation, restoring the balance of nature, and effectively guaranteeing environmental rights for current and future generations.

Keywords

Collaboration network of the authors

40 authors · 143 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.

  • State University of Semarang
  • Affiliation unknown
  • Different organisations
  • Same organisation
  • Affiliation unknown
  • Thicker line = more joint articles · bigger circle = more articles
Show as table
Co-authorOrganisationJoint articles
Ridwan ArifinAffiliation unknown12
Nizamuddin AliasAffiliation unknown6
Aprila NiravitaAffiliation unknown5
Ratih DamayantiState University of Semarang5
Benny SumardianaAffiliation unknown5
Rodiyah RodiyahAffiliation unknown4
Salman AlfarisiAffiliation unknown4
Ali MasyharAffiliation unknown4
Rahayu Fery AnitasariAffiliation unknown3
Muhammad Azil MaskurAffiliation unknown3
TRI ANDARI DAHLANAffiliation unknown2
Asyaffa Ridzqi AmandhaAffiliation unknown2
Adiguna Bagas Waskito AjiAffiliation unknown2
Puji WiyatnoAffiliation unknown2
Souad EzzeroualiAffiliation unknown2
Dina Wahyu PritaningtiasAffiliation unknown2
Anindhita Sekaring BarendriyasAffiliation unknown2
Amira Rahma SabelaAffiliation unknown2
Batari LaskarwatiAffiliation unknown2
Bayangsari WedhatamiAffiliation unknown2
Syukron SalamAffiliation unknown2
Iqbal SyariefudinAffiliation unknown2
Sang Ayu Putu RahayuAffiliation unknown2
Anis WidyawatiAffiliation unknown2
Ahmad Zaharuddin Sani Ahmad SabriAffiliation unknown2
Destina AnggiyantiAffiliation unknown2
Dewi Nur HidayahAffiliation unknown2
Rini FidiyaniAffiliation unknown2
Yustina Dhian NovitaAffiliation unknown2
Irawaty IrawatyAffiliation unknown2
Rindia Fanny KusumaningtyasAffiliation unknown1
Rina AufaAffiliation unknown1
Ayup Suran NingsihAffiliation unknown1
Kresna Adi PrasetyoAffiliation unknown1
Lilis Eka LestariAffiliation unknown1
Juan Caesar SalomoAffiliation unknown1
Lutfi IntaniAffiliation 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/lsr/oai, first harvested 6 Nov 2026, last seen 8 Nov 2026.
Original metadata (oai_dc) 
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	<dc:title xml:lang="en">Environmental Criminal Law as a Tool for Ecological Protection: Interpreting the Constitution in the Context of Environmental Crimes</dc:title>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Ramada, Diandra Preludio</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Kamal, Ubaidillah</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Utari, Indah Sri</dc:creator>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">Constitution</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">Environmental Criminal Law</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">Ecological Protection</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">Criminal Law Reform</dc:subject>
	<dc:description xml:lang="en">This article comprehensively analyzes the Indonesian Constitution as a crucial foundation and solid bulwark for strengthening Environmental Criminal Law. Given the alarming global ecological crisis, characterized by massive deforestation, uncontrolled pollution, biodiversity loss, and excessive resource exploitation, reforming the criminal law framework to be adaptive, responsive, and progressive is urgent. This research firmly argues that the Constitution isn't just a general, declarative legal umbrella; it intrinsically embodies fundamental constitutional values and principles. These include every citizen's right to a good and healthy environment and the state's obligation to protect it, which must be actively interpreted, internalized, and expanded into all norms and practices of Environmental Criminal Law enforcement. Using a normative-juridical approach focused on analyzing legal texts, doctrines, and court decisions, this article systematically examines how in-depth constitutional interpretation and creative elaboration of principles can catalyze stronger, more comprehensive, and ecologically just environmental criminal regulations. The discussion identifies and critically analyzes structural and substantive weaknesses in current environmental criminal law enforcement, such as evidentiary challenges, weak sanctions, and limited scope of legal subjects. Furthermore, this article explores the Constitution's potential to legitimize overcoming these obstacles. This includes strengthening criminal sanctions for proportional deterrence, expanding the definition of environmental crimes to encompass new and complex ecological offenses, and enhancing more effective corporate accountability mechanisms. Ultimately, this article affirms that reforming and developing Environmental Criminal Law, firmly rooted in constitutional values and principles, is an absolute prerequisite for building a holistic and sustainable environmental protection system. This step is essential in preventing further ecological degradation, restoring the balance of nature, and effectively guaranteeing environmental rights for current and future generations.</dc:description>
	<dc:publisher xml:lang="en">Faculty of Law, Universitas Negeri Semarang</dc:publisher>
	<dc:date>2025-07-15</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/lsr/article/view/30327</dc:identifier>
	<dc:identifier>10.15294/lsr.v5i2.30327</dc:identifier>
	<dc:source xml:lang="en">Semarang State University Undergraduate Law and Society Review; Vol. 5 No. 2 (2025): July-December, 2025; 1013-1056</dc:source>
	<dc:source>2807-8683</dc:source>
	<dc:source>2807-8225</dc:source>
	<dc:source>10.15294/lsr.v5i2</dc:source>
	<dc:language>eng</dc:language>
	<dc:relation>https://journal.unnes.ac.id/journals/lsr/article/view/30327/4947</dc:relation>
	<dc:rights xml:lang="en">Copyright (c) 2025 Semarang State University Undergraduate Law and Society Review</dc:rights>
</oai_dc:dc>