Right to a Healthy Environment in the Digital Age: Legal Pathways for Climate Accountability

¹ Faculty of Law, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, Research Fellow, Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
² Faculty of Law, Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

^* Corresponding author: mohammad.hazyar@umy.ac.id

Abstract

The right to a healthy environment is increasingly recognized as a fundamental human right worldwide; however, in Indonesia, its practical implementation is inconsistent and underdeveloped. The nation confronts escalating environmental challenges intensified by climate change, with vulnerable communities disproportionately enduring the consequences of ecological degradation. The article examines the reflection of the right to a healthy environment within Indonesia’s legal and policy frameworks and assesses the potential of digital innovations to enhance environmental governance and climate accountability. This study is guided by two primary research questions: In what ways is the right to a healthy environment manifested and implemented within Indonesia’s legal and policy frameworks? In what ways can digital governance facilitate the achievement of environmental accountability and climate justice? The article employs a qualitative legal research methodology that integrates normative and doctrinal analysis to investigate environmental regulations, human rights standards, and digital governance frameworks. The results indicate discrepancies between legal acknowledgment and practical execution, attributable to institutional fragmentation, restricted public access to environmental information, and inadequate enforcement. Nonetheless, the incorporation of digital instruments like e-governance platforms and real-time environmental monitoring presents significant potential to improve transparency, citizen engagement, and legal enforcement, thereby facilitating a more inclusive and accountable climate governance framework in Indonesia.