Indonesia's Frontline Communities Demand a Climate Justice Bill to Protect Rights and Livelihoods

A national campaign puts climate hardship before parliament

Indonesia recorded 28,471 climate related disasters between 2013 and 2022, affecting 38 million people and displacing 3.5 million, according to research cited by legal and civil society groups. Estimated losses during 2020 to 2024 reached hundreds of trillions of rupiah. For communities pressing for a Climate Justice Bill, those figures describe a crisis already taking away homes, incomes and safety.

Farmers, fishers, Indigenous communities, workers, the urban poor, young people, older people and people with disabilities have joined the campaign. They want climate justice recognized as a constitutional right and supported by a legal framework that protects those most exposed, coordinates government action and holds public authorities and businesses accountable.

The People's Alliance for Climate Justice, known as ARUKI, has compiled a 300 page academic paper to guide legislation. Its campaign brings together testimony from community consultations and the Indonesia Climate Justice Summit in Jakarta. Advocates want parliament to include a draft in the National Legislation Program as soon as possible.

Some lawmakers support a law centered on rights, while others favor a more technical title, the Climate Change Management Bill. The disagreement concerns how the law would frame its task: managing emissions and climate impacts, or also making fairness, participation and remedies explicit legal duties.

Indonesia does not yet have a dedicated climate law. Advocates argue that existing measures leave people facing floods, droughts, fires, rising seas and heat without a single framework addressing their needs. If passed with climate justice expressly enshrined in law, the proposed measure would be the first of its kind in Southeast Asia.

What climate justice would mean in daily life

Climate justice connects action against climate change with rights and fairness. It asks who benefits from a policy, who carries its costs and who gets to decide. For a fishing family or a farmer, that means protecting livelihoods, health and culture while reducing emissions and preparing for worsening weather.

The campaign also seeks remedies when harm occurs. Its principles recognize that responsibility for climate change and the resources available to respond differ between communities and across generations. People who contributed least to the problem often have the fewest savings, services or alternatives when it damages their homes and work.

International displacement monitors recorded 32.6 million people displaced globally by climate related disasters in 2022. That number is expected to keep rising by the middle of the century. In Indonesia, erratic seasons, shifting winds, stronger heat, floods and coastal erosion have damaged harvests and catches, increased debt and forced people into risky migration.

Climate pressures also meet existing inequalities. Extraction and coastal development projects can increase risks where community consent is weak and basic services are neglected. Women face extra work collecting water and caring for relatives, while young people find fewer job opportunities near home.

ARUKI's argument is that a climate policy should account for these consequences alongside its environmental targets. A project that reduces emissions still needs rules governing land, participation, employment and access to assistance so that affected people share its benefits and receive protection from harm.

Changing seasons disrupt farms, fishing and coastal homes

Dayak communities in West Kalimantan describe seasons arriving outside their expected calendar. Planting cycles become harder to follow, yields fall and food security comes under strain. For families relying on customary land and community forests, unpredictable weather also disrupts cultural practices that have long supported people and ecosystems.

Residents of Sangihe in North Sulawesi face frequent rough seas and higher tides. Fishers go out less often, catches decline and costs rise. Households respond by raising floors, moving drying racks or putting up improvised barriers, but these measures provide temporary protection.

Along northern Java, communities in Demak, Pekalongan, parts of Semarang and Jakarta live with persistent tidal flooding, land subsidence and pollution. Subsidence means the ground is sinking, adding to the difficulty of keeping seawater out of homes and neighborhoods.

Sea walls and reclamation projects offer temporary relief in some places while shifting water and sediment problems elsewhere. Clean water becomes harder to obtain. Repeated repairs and replacement costs can push households into debt, eventually forcing them to sell assets or move.

The proposed law would bring these pressures into the same policy discussion. Disaster recovery, water supplies, housing, land rights and employment all affect whether a family can remain safely in its community. Advocates want recovery plans connected to longer term protection rather than leaving households to pay for each new loss.

People describe the cost of losing their livelihoods

Muninggar, a former fish farmer from northern Java, said erratic weather ruined her ponds and left her in debt. Former fish farmers have described pond salinity and temperatures moving outside normal ranges, followed by the loss of their savings. Some sought work abroad in markets or domestic service and encountered abuse.

Muninggar left for the Gulf and returned home after a traumatic ordeal abroad. She now wants a law that helps people rebuild their livelihoods without being forced to migrate. Describing the pressure behind her decision, she said:

Going to Dubai was an act of desperation.

A traditional fisherman speaking at the Indonesia Climate Justice Summit in Jakarta connected falling catches and rough seas with identity, survival and dignity. He demanded recognition of the role fishing communities play:

Fisherfolk are not the cause of the climate crisis, we protect the sea. What we demand is justice, not pity. Without us, who will feed this country?

A community representative from Nusa Tenggara Timur described a geothermal project proceeding without local consent. She said opposition had brought accusations and criminalization:

Our hearts are broken. The geothermal project was implemented without our consent, and our voices were ignored. When we refused, we were labelled anti development, and some were even criminalised. We are not asking for pity, we are asking to be respected.

Other testimony described Indigenous planting calendars becoming unreliable and evacuations failing to account for the mobility or sensory needs of people with disabilities. Across coastal villages, farming communities and crowded urban neighborhoods, climate damage adds to land disputes, inadequate water and sanitation, and limited services.

What the proposed bill would require

Indonesia's existing regulations cover carbon pricing and measures for individual projects. The proposed Climate Justice Bill seeks a broader framework, placing the protection of vulnerable groups at the center of adaptation and mitigation. Adaptation means preparing for climate impacts; mitigation means reducing the emissions that drive warming.

Civil society proposals identify distributive, procedural, corrective, gender, recognitive, inclusive and intergenerational justice as guiding values. In practical terms, these concern fair sharing of benefits and burdens, a meaningful voice in decisions, repair when harm occurs, recognition of different identities and needs, and protection for future generations.

The draft principles and provisions highlighted by advocates include:

• Recognition of Indigenous peoples, fishers, farmers, women, workers, the urban poor, youth, older people and people with disabilities.
• Clear coordination duties across disaster management, social protection, health, labor, education, land and environmental agencies.
• Inclusive data and social protection that can adjust to changing risks, accounting for disability, age, gender and location.
• Worker safety and fair compensation during climate disasters and the transition to cleaner energy.
• Protection against land grabbing for farmers and rural communities, alongside recognition of urban villages and coastal fishing grounds.
• Access to information, participation in planning and complaint mechanisms that can deliver enforceable remedies.

Advocates also want communities involved from the beginning of climate projects, disaster recovery aligned with longer term planning, and climate finance reaching people directly. Their proposal treats participation as part of the decision itself, with affected residents able to influence what happens to their land and livelihoods.

Indigenous rights meet pressure from mining and energy projects

Indonesia has thousands of Indigenous communities, with population estimates in the tens of millions. Many live near forests and coasts exposed to fires, floods and rising seas. Community rights and participation in planning and permitting remain weak in many areas, while conflicting policies and project approvals have displaced families and triggered land disputes.

Over the past decade, civil society groups recorded hundreds of agrarian conflicts involving Indigenous peoples and affecting millions of hectares of customary land. Recognition of customary forests still covers only a small fraction of the land Indigenous peoples claim.

A recent court ruling broadened the space for Indigenous communities to cultivate forest areas without permits, a change welcomed by many. Safeguards remain uneven. Advocates see the proposed climate law as a way to strengthen free and prior consent, require active participation and connect land, mining and energy rules with community rights.

Nickel mining and processing in Central Sulawesi, Southeast Sulawesi and North Maluku have transformed rural areas into industrial zones. Communities have described polluted waterways, damaged fisheries, dust, air pollution and rising respiratory illness.

The expansion supplies materials for batteries and brings jobs and revenue. Its environmental and social costs fall heavily on residents whose livelihoods and culture depend on the land and sea. Processing plants powered by coal also connect the growth of battery production with rising emissions.

Studies found that Indonesia's greenhouse gas emissions rose by one fifth between 2022 and 2023, partly because nickel processing relies on coal power. That is a 20 percent increase in a year. The campaign argues that energy and industrial policy must address local health, customary rights and employment alongside production and emissions targets.

Accessible disaster protection and safer work

People with disabilities encounter barriers throughout disaster preparation, evacuation and recovery. Routes, shelters and relief distribution often lack ramps, accessible information, sign language support and staff familiar with disability needs. Heat waves and smoke can worsen existing health conditions.

Families also report that data systems fail to count disability accurately, leaving people outside assistance programs. The proposed law would require inclusive design and data, accessible early warnings and social protection tailored to different needs. For a resident unable to use stairs or hear a warning, those details determine whether help is reachable.

Farmers and fishers facing climate losses may leave home quickly to find work. Migration under that pressure can expose them to debt bondage, trafficking and unsafe jobs abroad. When disasters strike their home communities, migrants and their families can struggle to obtain benefits or legal aid.

The proposal calls for safety standards, wage protection and fair complaint procedures during disasters and the shift toward cleaner energy. Advocates also seek job training and fair compensation when sectors change, so workers have practical support rather than carrying the cost of transition alone.

Accessible evacuation, shelters and recovery services would address immediate danger. Protection for wages, jobs and returning migrants would help families recover afterward. The bill's supporters want both responsibilities included within climate policy, alongside recognition of age, gender, disability and location.

How the campaign reached the legislative debate

ARUKI formed in 2023 and brings together dozens of civil society groups. It gathered testimony across more than a dozen regions for its draft and academic paper. The alliance argues that climate justice cannot be separated from social justice and human rights.

The campaign combines national discussion in Jakarta with consultations in communities experiencing climate damage. Its proposal reaches across land, water, health, labor, education and disaster management, reflecting how the loss of a harvest or home can affect several parts of a family's life at once.

The main milestones and periods described in the campaign are:

• 2013 to 2022: Research cited by legal and civil society groups counted 28,471 climate related disasters in Indonesia, affecting 38 million people and displacing 3.5 million.
• 2020 to 2024: Estimated climate losses reached hundreds of trillions of rupiah.
• 2022: International displacement monitors recorded 32.6 million people displaced globally by climate related disasters.
• 2023: ARUKI formed, bringing together dozens of civil society organizations.
• By October 24, 2025: The alliance was pressing for a draft to enter the National Legislation Program following regional consultations and the Jakarta summit.

Parliament has taken early steps, and several lawmakers have voiced support for an approach centered on rights. A member of the House, speaking about the constitutional basis for the proposal, said:

A healthy environment is a fundamental right, and the bill must be realized immediately.

Other legislators favor the title Climate Change Management Bill. Civil society advocates argue that explicit justice provisions are needed to address gaps in participation, protection and remedies. As of October 24, 2025, no date had been given for inclusion in the legislative program or for deliberation.

Public marches and consultations have called for climate justice to become a legal duty. Advocates want hearings and dialogue to remain open to affected communities as the proposal moves through parliament.

Existing climate plans leave fairness underdeveloped

Indonesia already has climate strategies, updated national targets and longer term planning documents guiding emissions reductions and adaptation. Independent analysis of those documents finds that justice receives less attention than technical outcomes and totals.

The gaps concern who pays for policies, how communities join decisions and what remedies are available when projects cause harm. Forest and land policy illustrates the difficulty. Sustainable logging and community forestry programs aim to reduce emissions, but restrictions on traditional practices such as controlled burning can damage food security and cultural continuity when communities lack workable alternatives.

An international financing plan to accelerate renewable energy has helped bring the idea of a just transition into public discussion. Attention still tends to focus on electricity sector measurements. The nickel industry's uneven benefits and dependence on coal show why the campaign also addresses mining, industrial development, labor and local health.

The proposed law would connect those responsibilities with social protection. Its supporters want climate action to reduce poverty and protect nature while ensuring that communities retain a voice in decisions affecting their homes, work and culture.

International duties and the practical test for a new law

The International Court of Justice, in a recent advisory opinion, clarified that states have duties to prevent significant environmental harm, cooperate and regulate businesses in relation to climate harm regardless of borders. The Court also affirmed that the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment underpins other human rights.

Intergenerational equity, meaning fairness between people alive today and future generations, should guide climate obligations, the Court said. Those principles align with the proposed bill's focus on rights, remedies and the participation of vulnerable communities in decisions.

A Climate Justice Bill would set responsibilities for government agencies and businesses while giving communities clearer protections. Civil society groups and experts identify several practical measures: a legal right tied to a healthy environment, meaningful participation at every stage, and a single coordination point covering land, water, energy, transport, health, education, labor and social protection.

They also seek recognition of customary land, projects aligned with free and prior consent, transparent tracking of climate finance, direct access to funding for communities and complaint channels. Monitoring would measure fairness, participation and repair of harm alongside environmental results.

For affected households, the desired results are concrete: accessible warnings and shelters, protection at work, support for new jobs, secure livelihoods and a say in projects. The campaign's central demand is that climate action protect food security, culture and nature while creating decent work, rather than leaving the most exposed communities to absorb its costs.

Key Points

• ARUKI is urging Indonesia's parliament to advance a Climate Justice Bill centered on rights, fairness and participation.
• Research cited by legal and civil society groups counted 28,471 climate related disasters in 2013 to 2022, affecting 38 million people and displacing 3.5 million.
• The alliance formed in 2023, consulted communities across more than a dozen regions and prepared a 300 page academic paper.
• The proposal covers vulnerable groups, government coordination, accessible disaster services, worker protection and enforceable remedies.
• Indigenous communities face land conflicts and mining pressures, while customary forest recognition covers a small fraction of claimed land.
• National greenhouse gas emissions rose by one fifth from 2022 to 2023, partly because nickel processing uses coal power.
• Some lawmakers support a law centered on rights; others favor the title Climate Change Management Bill.
• No date for legislative inclusion or deliberation had been given as of October 24, 2025.
• A recent International Court of Justice advisory opinion supports duties concerning environmental protection, business regulation and fairness across generations.