SUBSTANTIVE JUSTICE IN COASTAL SPATIAL LICENSING: A RAWLSIAN PERSPECTIVE ON INDONESIA’S ONE SPATIAL PLANNING POLICY

Abstract

Inequality in coastal space utilization permits is a structural issue that directly impacts social justice and the sustainability of coastal area management. Although Indonesia has promoted the integration of land and sea spatial planning through the One Spatial Plan policy, coastal spatial licensing practices still show the dominance of well-capitalized actors and limited access for coastal communities, particularly traditional fishermen. This article aims to analyze the extent to which licensing policies for coastal space utilization reflect substantive justice using John Rawls' Theory of Justice approach. This research employs a normative juridical method with a legislative, conceptual, and policy analysis approach. The study results indicate that the coastal space permitting system in Indonesia tends to meet procedural justice but has not fully achieved substantive justice as intended by Rawls' principles of justice, particularly the difference principle and fair equality of opportunity. This article asserts that the One Spatial Plan policy has normative potential to address disparities in coastal spatial permits but requires policy design reform and legal affirmation favoring the most vulnerable groups to achieve substantive justice in coastal spatial management.