Rayi Kharisma Rajib; Nyoman Tania Nesa; Kresno Adi Wicaksono
This study analyzes the urgency of strengthening citizen lawsuit mechanisms in response to spatial planning failures from an environmental law perspective, using the 2025 floods in Bali as a case study. The study is motivated by the increasing frequency and intensity of floods, which can no longer be understood as merely natural phenomena, but rather as the result of structural failures in spatial planning management and weak government accountability. Normatively, spatial planning is regulated under Undang Undang Nomor 26 Tahun 2007 dan Undang Undang Nomor 32 Tahun 2009 however, its implementation reveals a gap between legal norms and actual practice. The methodology employed is a normative legal approach, involving an analysis of legislation, legal doctrine, and judicial practices related to citizen lawsuits. The study's findings show that land-use conversion and development in water catchment areas, which go against the precautionary principle, the polluter pays principle, and sustainable development, are examples of spatial planning violations that cause flooding in Bali. In this situation, citizen lawsuits increase public access to justice while acting as a legal tool to hold the state responsible for its carelessness. However, this mechanism's effectiveness is still limited by the absence of a clear legal foundation, the difficulty of the burden of proof, and the public's limited access to the litigation process. Therefore, in order for citizen lawsuits to serve as effective tools for environmental protection and accountability, it is imperative that clear regulations be established, procedures be streamlined, and public access and ability information be improved.