Evidence Before Attribution, Prevention Before Crisis: Fair Accountability and Collaborative Fire Governance in Indonesia’s Oil-Palm and Peatland Landscapes
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59890/ijgsr.v4i10.4Keywords:
Oil Palm, Peatland Fire, Environmental Accountability, Evidence-Based Enforcement, Fire Attribution, Peatland Restoration, Corporate Governance, Environmental Justice, Collaborative PreventionAbstract
Indonesia's recurring land and peat fires create acute ecological, economic, public-health and governance challenges. Public controversy frequently presents a false choice between aggressive enforcement against suspected burners and fair treatment of plantation enterprises. This qualitative literature review advances a different proposition: defensible attribution and enforceable prevention duties are complementary rather than competing public objectives. Using a critical, interpretive synthesis of peer-reviewed studies published in 2020–2026, the review examines coupled fire-risk processes, remote-sensing evidence, expert knowledge, regulatory compliance, corporate commitments, peatland restoration and community vulnerability. The synthesis identifies six interconnected findings. Fire hazards emerge from climate–hydrology–land-use interactions; hotspot observations are screening evidence rather than conclusive proof of ignition or culpability; accountability must distinguish acts of ignition from failures of prevention; restoration performance varies by landscape and implementation; private commitments do not substitute for public oversight; and social legitimacy depends on feasible alternatives for exposed communities. An integrated two-track framework is proposed, combining a transparent evidentiary pathway with a risk-reduction pathway governed through shared but differentiated responsibilities
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