Environmental and societal challenges in Indonesia: an evaluation of laws, policies and natural resources governance

Indonesia is rich in natural resources, but its keen focus on economic advancement has triggered environmental and societal issues, including climate change, biodiversity decline, habitat loss, flooding, and indigenous land conflicts. Aiming to achieve the Indonesia 2045 vision, the government has introduced policies to attract businesses and investors. Notably, the enactment of the Omnibus Law (Law Number 11/2020) and the revised Mineral and Coal Mining Law have relaxed environmental protections. Consequently, there are concerns over escalating deforestation, intensification of mining, infrastructure projects under the national strategic initiative, and the potential spread of oil palm plantations to cover 15 million hectares. This article delves into the laws, governance, and policies driving this development trajectory, emphasizing the government's mining policies and their social and environmental ramifications. Through a qualitative method, encompassing policy analysis, literature scrutiny, and insights from East Kalimantan mining case studies, the piece underscores the pressing need for reform in natural resource management.