Human Rights and Climate Change in Indonesia: Legal Gaps in Protecting Climate-Vulnerable Communities

Abstract

This paper examines the intersection of human rights and climate change in Indonesia, focusing on the legal gaps that hinder the protection of climate-vulnerable communities. Indonesia, as one of the world’s most climate-affected nations, faces significant challenges due to rising sea levels, deforestation, and natural disasters, all of which disproportionately impact marginalized populations, including indigenous groups and rural communities. The study evaluates Indonesia’s existing environmental and human rights laws, particularly in relation to climate change adaptation and resilience-building, and identifies areas where legal frameworks fail to protect vulnerable populations. Using a rights-based approach, the paper critiques the government’s climate policies, particularly those that overlook the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities who are most affected by environmental degradation. It also examines the international human rights framework, assessing Indonesia’s compliance with global agreements such as the Paris Agreement and the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The research proposes legal reforms that integrate climate justice and human rights, emphasizing the need for inclusive, community-led climate policies that protect both the environment and human dignity.