Climate change related litigation in Indonesia

Indonesia contributes to greenhouse gas emissions but is also highly vulnerable to climate change while lacking a single, overarching climate law. Climate litigation has emerged as a tool to hold governments and corporations accountable. This paper reviews Indonesian court decisions for criminal and civil climate change-related cases between 2010 and 2020, highlighting trends, case studies, driving factors, and impacts. A total of 112 climate change-related cases were identified, most of which were criminal cases concerning forestry or forest fires. Several civil cases were also found. References to climate change appeared in claims, arguments, evidence, expert testimony, judicial considerations, and judgments. Although largely incidental—where climate change is peripheral rather than the core legal basis—these cases are important to the evolution of climate litigation in Indonesia by bringing climate issues into court deliberations and public media discourse.

Linda Yanti Sulistiawati