Coal Conflict in Indigenous Lands: A Study of Climate Justice Erosion and Threats to Indigenous Forests in West Kutai, East Kalimantan

Abstract

Expansion of coal mining into indigenous territories has created serious climate justice concerns, particularly in relation to how environmental burdens are distributed as well as how communities are involved in decision-making. However, studies that examine both aspects together remain scarce. This research investigates how climate justice has been undermined within the Dayak Benuaq community in Muara Tae Village, West Kutai, East Kalimantan. Using a qualitative case study approach informed by critical political ecology, data were gathered through interviews, observations, and document reviews. Findings indicate that climate injustice operates through two interconnected pathways. The first relates to unequal environmental impacts, reflected in widespread presence concerning mining permits which are distributed across the West Kutai region in accordance with (Izin Usaha Pertambangan/IUP), totaling 4,608 permits covering an area of 20,381.59 km², equivalent to 20,275 ha, overlap between concessions as well as customary land, degradation concerning Nayan River, loss concerning sacred areas, and absence concerning legal recognition for customary forests. The second concerns exclusion from decision-making processes, including a lack of meaningful Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) procedures and administrative boundary changes that reduced customary territory. Mining activities were also found to weaken transmission of traditional ecological knowledge and disrupt cultural systems tied to customary forest governance. These findings highlight the importance of strengthening FPIC requirements, protecting claimed customary forests from new mining permits, and accelerating legal recognition of indigenous forest rights in West Kutai.

Keywords: customary forest, Dayak Benuaq, extractivism, political ecology, resource conflict