Yogyakarta, October 20, 2026 — The Master of Environmental Science Study Program at the Graduate School of Universitas Gadjah Mada (MIL UGM) held an online public lecture on Environmental Science on Tuesday, October 20, 2026. The event featured Annisa Ayu Fawzia from the Directorate of Pollution Control (Dit PP), Ministry of Environment (KLH), who is also an MIL UGM alumna, as the speaker. The session was moderated by Dr. Emilya Nurjani, S.Si., M.Si. The lecture focused on environmental quality standards and environmental law enforcement. It was attended by students, particularly those enrolled in the Environmental Quality Standards course, as well as faculty members and invited guests.
Figure 1. The speaker explains examples of regulations on environmental quality standards during the online public lecture.
In her presentation, Annisa explained that environmental quality standards serve as technical benchmarks for assessing environmental quality. Their determination involves four aspects: parameters, quality standard values, measurement timing, and measurement systems. She emphasized that regulations on environmental quality standards are dynamic; therefore, researchers and environmental inspectors must ensure that the regulations they refer to are still in force. Selecting the appropriate quality standard is considered just as important as obtaining accurate laboratory test results.
The discussion then shifted to environmental law enforcement practices. Annisa explained that exceeding environmental quality standards does not automatically result in criminal prosecution. Environmental law enforcement follows the principle of ultimum remedium, under which corrective measures and administrative sanctions are prioritized, while criminal proceedings may be pursued when there is evidence of intentional misconduct or serious consequences. She also discussed administrative fines introduced under Government Regulation No. 22 of 2021 and further detailed in Minister of Environment Regulation No. 6 of 2026, dispute resolution through litigation and mediation, and the requirement for environmental laboratories to be accredited and registered.
Participants were also invited to discuss a case study involving suspected river pollution by a pulp and paper industry. In this case, establishing evidence of pollution requires sampling at the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) outlet, as well as upstream and downstream river locations. Investigators must also examine data from the Continuous Wastewater Quality Monitoring System (Sistem Pemantauan Kualitas Air Limbah secara Terus-Menerus, SPARING) and trace the water balance to detect unauthorized discharges, including bypasses.
Figure 2. Case study material showing sampling points at the WWTP outlet and upstream and downstream river locations.
The question-and-answer session was lively, with questions raised by Eduardus Advent Rian Nugroho, Indriati Dewi, and Zulfi Dimas Rakhmadya, as well as by the moderator, Dr. Emilya Nurjani, S.Si., M.Si. The discussion covered liability for cumulative pollution caused by multiple companies, enforcement measures for air pollution, proposed vehicle emission standards such as Euro standards, the allocation of litigation costs, and protections for complainants.
Speaker: Annisa Ayu Fawzia (Directorate of Pollution Control, Ministry of Environment) |
Moderator: Dr. Emilya Nurjani, S.Si., M.Si. |
Questioner: Eduardus Advent Rian Nugroho |
Figure 3. The speaker, moderator, and one of the participants during the discussion session.
Contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
This activity supports several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as outlined below:
| SDG Goal | Target | Contribution of the Activity |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 4: Quality Education | 4.7 | Students gain practical knowledge and skills from an environmental enforcement practitioner, enabling them to contribute to sustainable development. |
| SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation | 6.3 | Discussions on wastewater and river water quality standards, as well as evidence-gathering in pollution cases, support efforts to improve water quality by reducing pollution. |
| SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production | 12.4 | Discussions on hazardous and toxic waste (B3), emissions, and industrial wastewater standards strengthen understanding of environmentally sound waste and pollutant management. |
| SDG 13: Climate Action | 13.2 | Discussions on controlling industrial and vehicle emissions highlight the role of regulation in reducing air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. |
| SDG 15: Life on Land | 15.1, 15.3 | Discussions on standards for peatland and mangrove degradation, as well as the calculation of losses resulting from land fires, support ecosystem protection and restoration. |
| SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions | 16.3, 16.6 | Evidence-based law enforcement, complainant protection, and dispute resolution mechanisms support effective, accountable, and equitable institutions. |
| SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals | 17.17 | Collaboration between higher education institutions and government agencies strengthens cross-sector partnerships in environmental management. |
Through this activity, the Master of Environmental Science Program at the Graduate School of Universitas Gadjah Mada hopes to equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to assess environmental quality accurately and understand environmental law enforcement processes, preparing them to contribute to environmental protection and restoration.
Author: Allaniz Mourenna Selsa