In the AMDAL process, community participation is a key element. However, in practice, many affected communities are not adequately involved. Local communities often do not get enough information, or they are faced with consultation forums that are merely formalities. This eliminates the essence of participation as an independent supervisor. A quality AMDAL study requires multidisciplinary expertise and accurate data. However, in Indonesia, it is not uncommon to find AMDAL documents that only copy similar studies without in-depth analysis. The preparation of AMDAL also often involves consultants who have close relationships with project owners, resulting in conflicts of interest.

Solutions to Increase AMDAL Effectiveness

1. Tighten Supervision

Supervision must be tightened intensively, especially in the implementation aspect. The government must ensure that every proposed mitigation recommendation is actually implemented. In addition, heavier sanctions must be given to perpetrators of violations.

2. Improving the Quality of Studies

To ensure the quality of AMDAL, the government needs to set higher standards for environmental consultants. The accreditation and supervision system for AMDAL consultants must be tightened to prevent conflicts of interest.

3. Increased Public Participation

Public participation should be further strengthened, not only in the initial process of drafting the EIA, but also in monitoring its implementation. The government can leverage digital technology to provide wider access to information for the public.

4. Technology Integration in Supervision

Technologies such as remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS) can be used to monitor environmental impacts in real-time. With the integration of these technologies, violations of the EIA can be detected and followed up more quickly.

5. Education and Awareness Improvement

Increasing public and business actors' awareness of the importance of EIA in maintaining environmental sustainability must continue to be carried out. Education campaigns can be a strategic step to encourage compliance with environmental regulations.

Conclusion

EIA is an important instrument in maintaining the balance between development and environmental preservation in Indonesia. Conceptually, EIA is designed to identify, manage, and mitigate the significant impacts caused by an activity or business on the environment. However, its implementation in the field is often far from expectations. EIA often becomes an administrative formality to obtain permits, without adequate implementation and supervision. Various cases, such as the nickel mine on Wawonii Island and the Cirebon-2 coal-fired power plant, demonstrate weak supervision and minimal public involvement, resulting in environmental damage and significant socio-economic losses. Lack of transparency, conflicts of interest, and limited human resources are the main challenges in implementing EIA. To overcome these problems, solutions such as tightening supervision, improving the quality of studies, strengthening public participation, utilizing technology, and education need to be applied consistently. With these steps, EIA can become an effective instrument in ensuring sustainable development that is in harmony with environmental protection and community welfare.