Air quality across Indonesia has deteriorated significantly, with air monitoring data from the US AQI website indicating that five major cities have been in a “worrying condition” throughout May 2026.
According to the monitoring data, Jakarta and Bandung have consistently fallen into the “unhealthy” category. Jakarta’s AQI has ranged from 134 to 189, reaching a peak on May 9, 2026. This situation was further aggravated by cross-regional pollution from buffer areas, including South Tangerang and Serpong, where levels reached up to 178. Bandung has shown a similar trend, with AQI levels between 137 and 171, frequently exceeding those recorded in Jakarta.
Surabaya (91-105), Medan (79-95), and Semarang (71-83) have been categorized as “moderate.” While less severe than the “unhealthy” cities, these levels still pose risks to vulnerable groups. The air quality in these five cities is considered unhealthy for the general population.
Structural Failures and Environmental Management
The Indonesian Environment Forum (Walhi) has urged the Ministry of Environment/Environmental Control Agency (BPLH) to formulate immediate policies to address the crisis. Wahyu Eka Styawan, the Urban Justice Campaigner and Spatial Policy of Walhi’s National Executive, stated on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, that the pollution is not a “seasonal or incidental phenomenon,” but is instead the result of “structural failures in environmental management.”
Styawan further noted that the pollution is a consequence of a development model that relies on fossil energy and maintains minimal control over pollution sources.
Primary Drivers of the Air Crisis
Walhi has identified several key contributors to the current air quality crisis:
- Energy and Industry: Emissions from coal-fired power plants, including captive plants, and industrial activities that suffer from minimal supervision.
- Transportation: Heavy traffic leading to motor vehicle pollution and a slow transition toward clean transportation options.
- Environmental Factors: Periodic forest fires, a lack of sufficient green open space, and weak law enforcement.
Constitutional Rights and Public Health Risks
The ongoing pollution is framed as a legal and health crisis. Under Article 28H, paragraph (1) of the 1945 Constitution, the right of every individual to a good and healthy environment is protected; continuous air pollution is viewed as a violation of the Constitution.
The health implications are severe, as exposure to PM 2.5 pollution increases the risk of premature death as well as cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. These health risks translate into economic losses through decreased productivity and rising healthcare costs.
Legal Precedents and Proposed Policy Shifts
Walhi pointed to a 2021 citizen lawsuit (case number 374/Pdt.G/LH/2019/PN.Jkt.Pst) won by 32 citizens as a critical lesson for the government. In that verdict, the central and regional governments—including the KLH, the Jakarta Provincial Government, and the governments of Banten and West Java—were found to have committed unlawful acts due to negligence in controlling air quality.
To prevent further deterioration, Walhi suggests several policy adoptions based on that verdict:
- Tightening national air quality standards to align with health protection standards.
- Revising outdated regulations, specifically Government Regulation No. 41 of 1999.
- Strengthening the supervision of motor vehicles and industrial emissions.
- Increasing the transparency of real-time air quality data for the public.
Potential Next Steps
Moving forward, the Ministry of Environment/BPLH and local governments may be pressured to accelerate the transition to clean energy and strengthen low-emission public transportation systems. A possible next step could involve the implementation of more concrete and systemic measures to ensure industrial supervision and data openness, which Styawan asserts must be accompanied by “people-centeredness” and firm law enforcement.
