Politics of the Environment in Indonesia

Abstract

Environmental issues have been the focus of a great deal of attention in Indonesia in recent times. Given the country's rapid economic development since the mid-1960s, enormous natural resources, and large size and population, it is not surprising that major environmental problems have arisen. What makes these problems and their handling of particular interest is that they provide a catalyst in what is generally an authoritarian political system for the growing desire in recent years for more openness and participation in Indonesia's political life. This article examines an interrelationship between politics and the environment in Indonesia. In particular, it examines how environmental issues have been used by the New Order government to achieve certain aims, as well as by other groups that are seeking to bring about a realignment of their roles in the present political system. The main features of Indonesia's political system along with its environmental problems are looked at first, and then the ways that different interest groups deal with environmental issues are examined.