Corruption and the Realization of the Right to a Healthy Environment in ASEAN: Exploring the Connection

Corruption and the right to a healthy environment are two deeply interconnected issues. The success of climate change adaptation and mitigation depends not only on effective governance but also on the realization of the right to a healthy environment. Corruption stands as a major obstacle to these efforts. As a region rich in natural resources, ASEAN plays a vital role in ensuring the success of global climate action. This research explores the nexus between corruption and the realization of the right to a healthy environment in ASEAN, with Indonesia as the case study. Through the analysis of four environmental corruption cases, this research demonstrates how corruption enables the
illegal transformation of natural forests into palm oil plantations and facilitates illegal mining. The consequences are devastating, ranging from the extinction of wildlife to the degradation of soil and water. Local and indigenous communities suffer the most, losing essential sources of food and income. This research argues that ASEAN must take stronger action to identify and address environmental corruption as a critical step toward realizing the right to a healthy environment.