International Influence in the Development of AMDAL in Indonesia

Apart from the various conferences held by the UN and various countries around the world regarding environmental protection in the development process, Indonesia's EIA regulations also refer to the success of western countries such as the United States and Canada in their development. The United States was the first country to initiate EIA regulations as outlined in The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA 1969). The legal regulations stipulated in the US NEPA 1969 have had a broad influence on the development of environmental law in various countries around the world, including Indonesia.

The progress of EIA is inseparable from the desire of the US and countries around the world to create more environmentally friendly development plans, in order to protect the future of life. Granville Sewell in his book Environmental Quality Management mentions that the formation of EIA regulations in the US has at least 6 main objectives, namely:

  • as a responsibility for future generations
  • to guarantee a quality environment for all Americans
  • efforts to avoid unwanted environmental impacts
  • efforts to preserve the national cultural heritage
  • efforts to achieve resource balance according to population
  • increase renewable resources and efforts to recycle non-renewable resources

The existence of US-based companies in Indonesia that are bound by the US environmental law system, namely NEPA 1969, encourages the development and adaptation of Indonesian environmental law to NEPA regulations. Indonesian environmental law began to be drafted and developed because of the country's urgency to start adjusting environmental law with the US, especially in the mining and energy sectors.

Apart from the US, Canada is also one of the progressive countries in forming and voicing the formation of EIA regulations to protect the environment. Canada also has a significant influence on the development of environmental law and EIA in Indonesia. The combination of US and Canadian environmental law has resulted in the Indonesian environmental law regulations that we currently use, which are outlined in Government Regulation Number 27 of 1999 concerning EIA and Law Number 32 of 2009 concerning Environmental Protection and Management.

References

Silalahi, Daud. 2010. AMDAL (Analysis Regarding Environmental Impact) In the Environmental Law System in Indonesia. Publisher PT Suara Harapan Bangsa, Bandung.

The 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia.

Government Regulation Number 27 of 1999 concerning Environmental Impact Analysis.