From efficiency to justice: Reconstructing utilitarian ethics in environmental governance

The global environmental crisis intensifies ecological injustice, where vulnerable communities bear disproportionate burdens despite contributing the least. In Indonesia, large-scale projects often exacerbate this imbalance. This study aims to critically evaluate the limitations of classical utilitarianism and to propose an enriched utilitarian framework that integrates rights, justice, and ecological integrity. Using a philosophical, literature-based method, the research draws on classical and contemporary theories, complemented by Indonesian case studies such as the Cilacap coal-fired power plant, Jakarta Bay reclamation, and the Food Estate program. The findings show that classical utilitarian reasoning, when narrowly applied, tends to legitimize structural inequities by prioritizing aggregate efficiency over distributive justice. In contrast, enriched utilitarianism expands the ethical calculus to include participatory justice, recognition of minority rights, and the intrinsic value of nature. This normative reconstruction provides a more comprehensive framework for balancing development efficiency with ecological justice, particularly relevant for Global South contexts. The novelty of this study lies in synthesizing utilitarian ethics with Indonesian environmental cases, offering a Global South perspective that contributes to international debates on environmental governance.