Regulatory Gaps in Coastal Zone Management: Legal Assessment of Flooding and Abrasion in Loireng Village, Demak
Supriyadi

Faculty of Law, Semarang University, Jl. Soekarno Hatta, RT.7/RW.7, Tlogosari Kulon, Kec. Pedurungan, Kota Semarang, Jawa Tengah 50196

Abstract

This study examines regulatory gaps in coastal zone management using the case study of Loireng Village, Demak, which has experienced severe abrasion, chronic flooding, and ecosystem degradation due to a combination of ecological pressures and weak legal governance. The findings show that various legal instruments, such as the Coastal Zone Management Law, spatial planning regulations, environmental impact assessment (EIA) provisions, and sustainable drainage technical guidelines, are not consistently implemented. The construction of the Sayung Semarang toll road has been shown to alter water flow patterns and exacerbate flooding, while the loss of more than 40 hectares of mangroves and industrial waste pollution have accelerated coastal degradation due to weak supervision and law enforcement. The lack of synchronization between regulations, minimal coordination between agencies, and the failure to apply the principle of public participation have resulted in coastal management policies that are fragmented and unresponsive to ecological risks. This study confirms that the damage to the Loireng coast is a direct result of systemic failures in regulatory harmonization and environmental law enforcement. Therefore, coastal governance reforms must focus on regulatory integration, strengthened oversight, and the application of ecological justice principles to ensure ecosystem protection and the fulfillment of people^s rights to a good and healthy environment.

Keywords: Coastal regulation, abrasion, spatial planning, ecological justice, environmental law

Topic: Governance, Policy, and Education of Coastal Area