Climate Change and the Human Rights of Coastal Communities in Indonesia: Legal Protection for Fishing Villages Facing Sea-Level Rise
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65815/bk859t54Keywords:
Climate change, coastal communities, human rights, adaptation, IndonesiaAbstract
Indonesia's extensive coastline makes coastal communities increasingly vulnerable to sea-level rise, coastal erosion, flooding, and changes in marine ecosystems. These environmental changes directly affect rights related to housing, livelihoods, food security, health, and cultural continuity. This article examines the human rights implications of climate change for fishing communities in Indonesia. Using normative juridical and policy analysis, the study evaluates environmental law, climate policy, coastal governance, disaster management, and human rights principles. The article argues that climate adaptation should be understood not merely as an environmental or infrastructure issue but as a human rights obligation. Coastal communities require meaningful participation in relocation, adaptation planning, and resource management decisions. The study proposes a rights-based coastal adaptation framework incorporating livelihood protection, participatory relocation, access to climate information, compensation, and preservation of community identity. Particular attention is given to situations in which climate-related relocation may disrupt social networks and traditional livelihoods. The article concludes that Indonesian climate policy should place affected communities at the center of adaptation planning and ensure that climate responses do not create new forms of displacement or inequality.
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