Legal Literacy - In this era of rapid development, environmental management has become a crucial issue that cannot be ignored. In Indonesia, one of the main instruments for maintaining a balance between development and environmental preservation is the Environmental Impact Analysis (AMDAL). However, along with changes in times and policies, the effectiveness of AMDAL is often questioned. Is AMDAL able to provide solutions to various threats to the environment, or is it just an administrative formality?

Understanding and Function of AMDAL

AMDAL is a document that contains studies on the major and important impacts of a business plan or activity on the environment. According to the Law of the Republic of Indonesia number 32 of 2009 concerning environmental protection and management (UUPPLH), the analysis of environmental impact or what is called AMDAL is a study of the important impacts of a planned business and/or activity on the environment which is needed for the decision-making process regarding the implementation of the business and/or activity. Then according to the regulation of the Minister of Environment and Forestry. (PerMenLHK) No. 4 of 2021 in article 3 number 1 states that every plan for a Business and/or Activity that has a Significant Impact on the environment must have an Amdal. This emphasizes that it is a mandatory requirement for projects that have the potential to damage the environment, such as the construction of industrial areas, toll roads, or mines. Generally, the functions and uses of AMDAL are:

a) Providing clear information regarding the plan of activities or business, accompanied by the environmental impacts that these activities will cause.

b) Containing the opinions, knowledge and aspirations of the population, especially in environmental matters when a business or industrial activity is about to be established.

c) Providing and accommodating local information that is useful for owners or founders and the surrounding community as well as the wider community in anticipating impacts and managing the environment in accordance with the principles of sustainability.

In theory, AMDAL is a tool to balance economic and environmental interests. However, its implementation in the field often faces complex challenges.