Speaking at a press conference here on Tuesday, Yuliarto said the legal guarantee is stipulated under Article 66 of Law No. 32 of 2009 on Environmental Protection and Management, as well as related ministerial regulations.
The provision, he explained, ensures legal protection for individuals and groups advocating the right to a clean and healthy environment.
“There are clear legal frameworks that protect lecturers and professors who are involved in studies, research, and environmental audits,” Yuliarto said.
He added that his ministry has held several coordination meetings with the Ministry of Environment to discuss disaster mitigation efforts from an environmental assessment perspective.
According to Yuliarto, universities and academic experts are expected to contribute through scientific studies and research to help address disaster-related issues in cooperation with the Ministry of Environment.
Following recent floods and landslides that affected three provinces in Sumatra, the Ministry of Environment has engaged experts and academics from various Indonesian universities to carry out environmental evaluations and audits in several affected areas.
Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq has set a target for the evaluations and audits to be completed by March 2026.
He said expert involvement is crucial to ensure that disaster mitigation and recovery policies are based on scientific evidence.
Floods and landslides struck three provinces in Sumatra - Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra - in late November 2025 after days of high-intensity rainfall.
Data from the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) show that as of December 23, the disasters had claimed 1,112 lives, while 176 people were still reported missing.
The disasters also damaged 158,096 houses, including 47,149 that suffered severe damage.
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Translator: Sean Filo, Raka Adji
Editor: Primayanti
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