Governance Capacity and Effectiveness of Local Environmental Regulation: River-Ecosystem Protection

Abstract

The effectiveness of environmental regulations depends not only on their legal substance but also on how local governance systems implement them. This study examines the implementation of Barru Regency Regulation Number 6 of 2023 in addressing ecosystem degradation in the Ajakkang Watershed, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. This study used a normative–empirical legal approach, integrating statutory analysis with field observations, document analysis, and semi-structured interviews with the Environmental Agency and the Ajakkang Village Government. The findings show that although the regulation provides a comprehensive legal framework for environmental protection, implementation remains constrained by reactive monitoring, limited environmental surveillance, insufficient institutional coordination, and low community participation in waste management. These factors reduce the effectiveness of environmental protection despite adequate regulatory instruments. The study demonstrates that effective environmental regulation requires not only legal compliance but also strong governance capacity characterized by proactive monitoring, institutional collaboration, and active public participation. This research contributes to environmental law scholarship by proposing governance capacity as the mechanism linking local environmental regulation to effective river ecosystem protection. It offers policy recommendations to strengthen sustainable river governance at the local level.