Government Responsibility in Controlling Deforestation: A Constitutional Perspective on Article 28H(1) and Article 33(3) of the 1945 Constitution

Ramdan Sukria
Taufiq Alamsyah
Ramdan Sukria: Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Gunung Djati
Taufiq Alamsyah: Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Gunung Djati

Abstract

Indonesia holds one of the world's largest tropical forest reserves, yet persistent deforestation continues to threaten the constitutional guarantee of a good and healthy environment enshrined in Article 28H(1) and the state's mandate to manage natural resources for public welfare under Article 33(3) of the 1945 Constitution. While prior studies have examined the constitutional right to environment in general terms, this study offers novelty by using the December 2025 flash flood disaster in Sumatra, which killed hundreds and displaced thousands, as a concrete case study to empirically test the extent to which these constitutional mandates have been implemented in forest governance. Employing a normative juridical method with a statute approach, this study analyzes national forestry and environmental regulations against the constitutional provisions. The findings show that despite a net national deforestation figure of 175,400 hectares in 2024, law enforcement institutions handled only 187 criminal cases and imposed 3,474 administrative sanctions in the same year, a scale gap that reflects weak institutional oversight rather than a lack of regulatory instruments. The study concludes that fulfilling the constitutional mandate on environmental protection requires strengthening institutional enforcement capacity and integrating ecological indicators into national development planning, rather than relying on normative declarations alone.

References

[1] Adit, Albertus. “Pakar UGM Ungkap Penyebab Banjir Sumatera, Dari Dosa Ekologis Hingga Anomali Siklon.” Kompas.Com, 2025. https://www.kompas.com/tren/read/2025/12/08/070000665/pakar-ugm-ungkap-penyebab-banjir-sumatera-dari-dosa-ekologis-hingga-anomali.
[2] Amalia, Rifka. “Kementerian LH Tangani 187 Kasus Pidana Selama 2024.” DetikNews, 2024. https://news.detik.com/berita/d-7706458/kementerian-lh-tangani-187-kasus-pidana-selama-2024.
[3] Arba, Muhammad, Sudiarto, and Rizki Yuniansari. “Perlindungan Hutan Dan Fungsinya Bagi Kehidupan Manusia Dan Lingkungan Alam.” Jurnal Kompilasi Hukum 8, no. 2 (2023). https://jkh.unram.ac.id/index.php/jkh/article/view/144.
[4] Boyd, David R. The Environmental Rights Revolution: A Global Study of Constitutions, Human Rights, and the Environment. 1st ed. Vancouver, BC: UBC Press, 2012.
[5] Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). “Global Forest Resources Assessment 2020: Key Findings.” Rome, 2020. https://www.fao.org/forest-resources-assessment/2020/en/.
[6] Hadi Alfianto, Muhammad. “Tinjauan Penerapan Teknik Omnibus Dalam Pembuatan Undang-Undang Cipta Kerja.” Judiciary: Jurnal Hukum Dan Keadilan 14, no. 1 (June 12, 2025): 48–53. https://doi.org/10.55499/judiciary.v14i1.312.
[7] Hanna, Dalal E.L., Ciara Raudsepp‐Hearne, and Elena M. Bennett. “Effects of Land Use, Cover, and Protection on Stream and Riparian Ecosystem Services and Biodiversity.” Conservation Biology 34, no. 1 (February 25, 2020): 244–55. https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.13348.
[8] Harris, Nancy L., David A. Gibbs, Alessandro Baccini, Richard A. Birdsey, Sytze de Bruin, Mary Farina, Lola Fatoyinbo, et al. “Global Maps of Twenty-First Century Forest Carbon Fluxes.” Nature Climate Change 11, no. 3 (March 21, 2021): 234–40. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-020-00976-6.
[9] Irnawati, Irnawati, Mierta Dwangga, and Muhammad Fadli Hasa. “Sosialisasi Peran Hutan Dan Lingkungan Dalam Penanggulangan Banjir Di Kota Sorong.” Abdimas: Papua Journal of Community Service 5, no. 1 (January 31, 2023): 26–33. https://doi.org/10.33506/pjcs.v5i1.2148.
[10] Jainuddin, Nanang. “Dampak Deforestasi Terhadap Keanekaragaman Hayati Dan Ekosistem.” HUMANITIS: Jurnal Humaniora Sosial Dan Bisnis 1, no. 2 (2023). https://humanisa.my.id/index.php/hms/article/view/14.
[11] Kementerian Kehutanan Republik Indonesia. “Hutan Dan Deforestasi Indonesia Tahun 2024.” Jakarta, 2025. https://www.kehutanan.go.id/pers/article-10.
[12] Kompas.com. “Update BNPB: Korban Meninggal Banjir Sumatera 921 Orang, Hilang 392 Orang.” Kompas.Com, 2025. https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2025/12/07/20000951/update-bnpb-korban-meninggal-banjir-sumatera-921-orang-hilang-392-orang.
[13] Luo, Xing, Jun Ge, Weidong Guo, Lei Fan, Chaorong Chen, Yu Liu, and Limei Yang. “The Biophysical Impacts of Deforestation on Precipitation: Results from the CMIP6 Model Intercomparison.” Journal of Climate 35, no. 11 (June 1, 2022): 3293–3311. https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-21-0689.1.
[14] Ma, Shuai, Sha Zhou, Bofu Yu, and Jiaxi Song. “Deforestation-Induced Runoff Changes Dominated by Forest-Climate Feedbacks.” Science Advances 10, no. 33 (August 16, 2024). https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adp3964.
[15] Marzuki, Peter Mahmud. Penelitian Hukum. 1st ed. Jakarta: Kencana Prenada Media Group, 2011.
[16] Pinem, Shelma Shetty. “Tinjauan Yuridis Terhadap Implementasi Dan Upaya Penguatan Layanan 112 Dalam Penanganan Street Crime Di Wilayah Kota Besar.” Judiciary: Jurnal Hukum Dan Keadilan 14, no. 1 (August 22, 2025): 64–75. https://doi.org/10.55499/judiciary.v14i1.338.
[17] Rivers, Malin, Adrian C. Newton, and Sara Oldfield. “Scientists’ Warning to Humanity on Tree Extinctions.” PLANTS, PEOPLE, PLANET 5, no. 4 (July 31, 2023): 466–82. https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp3.10314.
[18] Shalihah, Aini, Fahrizal Nur Mahali, and Ahmadi Ahmadi. “Arah Politik Hukum Dan Impelementasinya Dalam Pembangunan Sistem Hukum Indonesia.” Judiciary: Jurnal Hukum Dan Keadilan 14, no. 1 (June 12, 2025): 1–14. https://doi.org/10.55499/judiciary.v14i1.138.
[19] Shi, Xiuzhen, Nico Eisenhauer, Josep Peñuelas, Yanrong Fu, Jianqing Wang, Yuxin Chen, Shengen Liu, et al. “Trophic Interactions in Soil Micro‐food Webs Drive Ecosystem Multifunctionality along Tree Species Richness.” Global Change Biology 30, no. 3 (March 12, 2024). https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.17234.
[20] Shokhikhah, Zilda Khilmatus. “Hak Konstitusional Generasi Mendatang Atas Lingkungan Hidup Layak : Kajian Hukum Tata Negara Terhadap Tanggung Jawab Negara Dalam Pembangunan Berkelanjutan.” Jurnal Riset Rumpun Ilmu Sosial, Politik Dan Humaniora 4, no. 3 (June 23, 2025): 175–86. https://doi.org/10.55606/jurrish.v4i3.5767.
[21] Silam, Achmad Adi Surya Guntur, Mutia Evi Kristhy, Yesieari Silvanny Sibot, and Suriansyah Halim. “Community Participation in Indonesia in Preservation and Continuation of Environmental Protection and Management.” Protection: Journal Of Land And Environmental Law 1, no. 3 (March 31, 2023): 207–20. https://doi.org/10.38142/pjlel.v1i3.813.
[22] Smith, C., J. C. A. Baker, and D. V. Spracklen. “Tropical Deforestation Causes Large Reductions in Observed Precipitation.” Nature 615, no. 7951 (March 9, 2023): 270–75. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-05690-1.
[23] Soekanto, Soerjono, and Sri Mamudji. Penelitian Hukum Normatif: Suatu Tinjauan Singkat. 1st ed. Jakarta: PT RajaGrafindo Persada, 2001.
[24] Susanto, Aris, Sapto Baralaska, and Aan Jaelani. “Constitutional Rights and Environmental Protection in Indonesia from a Legal and Policy Perspective.” Jurnal Legisci 2, no. 2 (October 8, 2024): 121–29. https://doi.org/10.62885/legisci.v2i2.484.
[25] Weiskopf, Sarah R., Madeleine A. Rubenstein, Lisa G. Crozier, Sarah Gaichas, Roger Griffis, Jessica E. Halofsky, Kimberly J.W. Hyde, et al. “Climate Change Effects on Biodiversity, Ecosystems, Ecosystem Services, and Natural Resource Management in the United States.” Science of The Total Environment 733 (September 2020): 137782. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.137782.