Civil society groups in Denpasar demand moratorium on Bali tourism expansion

Denpasar — Three civil society organisations in Bali have called for a moratorium on new tourism developments and a wider review of the island’s growth model, using an ecological justice concert in Denpasar to highlight mounting land and water pressures.

According to a report by Balipost, Front Demokrasi Perjuangan Rakyat (Frontier-Bali), youth collective Public Enemy and the Bali chapter of the Indonesian environmental group Wahana Lingkungan Hidup Indonesia (Walhi) used the event to renew demands for limits on tourism-related construction across the island.

The concert was held on 20 September in Denpasar to mark Ecological Justice Day under the theme “From footprints for intergenerational justice, save Bali’s nature and resist environmentally destructive projects.” Speakers linked rapid tourism expansion to conversion of agricultural land, declining water availability and growing pressure on coastal zones.

A representative of Public Enemy, I Gusti Made Putra Triana, urged the governor of Bali and the provincial legislature to re-evaluate tourism development policies and to adopt a moratorium on new tourism projects as an emergency response to what he described as land and water crises. He called on authorities to stop projects seen as threatening community rights to land, water and coastal areas, arguing that unchecked construction has undermined environmental sustainability and social justice.

The groups framed their demands as part of a broader push for ecological justice, saying that current development patterns burden communities and future generations with environmental risks. They criticised projects they consider harmful to Bali’s ecosystems, including large-scale tourism investments that they say ignore local carrying capacity and climate vulnerabilities.

The call for a moratorium comes as debates over tourism growth and environmental protection intensify in Bali. Local media have reported previous protests and campaigns by environmental organisations urging the provincial government to pause new tourism accommodation and infrastructure in order to reassess land use, water management and disaster risks in fast-growing areas.

Environmental advocates in Bali have also pushed for stronger spatial planning and protection of productive farmland, arguing that existing moratorium policies on accommodation in parts of the island have been inconsistently enforced and need to be expanded and backed by clear legal instruments. Policy analysts have suggested that moratoriums can provide breathing space for government to align development with environmental carrying capacity and to improve oversight of permits and investment projects.

At the Denpasar concert, the three organisations encouraged residents, artists and youth communities to stay engaged in environmental issues and to press elected officials for policies that prioritise land and water security alongside tourism revenue. They said meaningful public participation and transparency in planning decisions are essential to safeguard community rights and Bali’s long-term ecological health.

Sources

• Balipost
• RRI