. . . an important addition to the small, but growing, published literature on the development of environmental law in developing countries. It will be of interest to academics and those involved in law development in Indonesia and the other developing countries. Jennifer Mohamed-Katerere, Journal of Environmental Law This book asks whether environmental law and policy in developed countries can be successfully transferred to developing countries. It questions whether developing countries are indeed ready and able to implement new ideas from the developed world, such as the integration of environmental law, and use of market-oriented instruments. The authors draw insights from the case of Indonesia, where they have experience of drafting environmental legislation, and which is itself in the early stages of development. Through these insights they seek to understand why environmental law that has been well developed in theory, can in practice be difficult to monitor and adequately enforce. Indeed, a further question central to the book is why developing environmental law does not necessarily result in an efficient environmental policy. Taking a comparative perspective, and using a multi-faceted methodology that draws on constitutional and administrative law, human rights law, criminal and liability law and international law, as well as law and economics, the authors conclude with an outline of some of the lessons that can be learnt by other jurisdictions seeking to develop environmental law. Lawyers, environmental engineers and social scientists involved in environmental law and policy in developing countries will find much to interest them in this book, as will those concerned with development studies or with a particular interest in the case of Indonesia.

Indonesia has a growing population of almost 300 million people, it is increasingly involved in world affairs, and has a booming economy. The need to better understand its unique, complex, and often obscure legal system, has become pressing. This is true across a wide range of sectors including, but not limited to, trade and investment, crime and terrorism, and human rights. Indonesia's democratization after the fall of Soeharto in 1998 triggered massive social and political changes that opened up this diverse, and formerly tightly-controlled, society. Law reform was a key driver of Indonesia's transformation and its full effect remains to be seen. This book offers clear and detailed explanations of the foundations of Indonesia's legal system in the context of its legal reform and rapid development. It offers succinct commentaries on a wide range of issues, examining the judicial process, the constitution, corruption and the court system, contract law, administrative law, foreign investment, taxation, Islamic law, and family law. It examines current substantive law and judicial interpretation and presents case studies of how the system operates in practice. Written in an accessible and engaging style, this book is an essential guide for readers seeking quick and clear answers to questions regarding the law and its application in Indonesia.

At its heart this collection of essays concerns the current state of Indonesian environmental law, departing from the question of whether there is now a coherent and accessible framework for environmental management. The authors provide the reader with an overview of Indonesian environmental policymaking and the political context in which it has emerged. The essays analyse the general features and principles of the Environmental Management Act of 1997, the frameworks for enforcement and dispute resolution, and the relation with the vital areas of forestry law and spatial planning. Two more theoretical discussions that are highly topical in the Indonesian legal environmental discourse contextualise the subject: first, the use and role of the vital concepts of integration, harmonisation and co-ordination of environmental law and policy; and second, the relation between enforcement and voluntary compliance mechanisms. The authors also explore potential paths towards better environmental law in Indonesia.