Sea-level rise (slr) and its implication on human security and human rights in indonesia: A legal analysis

Abstract

Sea-level rise impacts have threatened Indonesia’s environment, economy, social and cultural aspects. As an archipelagic state, Indonesia is extremely vulnerable to climate change impact especially in coastal areas. Highly populated and low-lying delta areas such as Jakarta, Semarang and Demak are extremely vulnerable to sea-level rise (SLR). Climate change has exacerbated the existing vulnerability such as poverty, threatens the food security of people living in coastal areas. Local poor coastal communities are the most vulnerable and suffer the most from the effect of flooding because of coastal inundation. Environmental migration is also an inevitable consequences. Climate change has put both human security and human rights such as the rights to healthy environment at risk. This chapter aims to investigate the impact of SLR on human security and human rights in Indonesia. Legal, institutional, and policy response and strategies of central and local government in addressing SLR will be discussed. The discussion to linkage between climate change impact on human security and human rights in Indonesia is lacking. Therefore, this chapter provides new insight on how SLR as a threat to human security and human rights perspective. Human security is an approach in identifying and addressing widespread and cross-cutting challenges to survival, livelihood, and dignity of the people. Human security and human rights theory will be used to examine the policy response of government in addressing SLR. The article finds that despite it is not explicitly mentioned in the legislation about the implication of SLR as a threat to human security and human rights, in the implementation, Indonesian government put some efforts to reduce the impact of CCA. However, the government needs to improve legal framework to support climate change adaptation as a means of protecting human security and human rights including the adaptive capacity of the poor and improving ecosystem-based adaptation approach. The current legislation is laggard behind in its approach to build adaptive capacity for vulnerable groups. Appropriate measures to improve involvement of local people in climate change adaptation decision-making are needed.