Bali Floods Expose Environmental Governance Issues

In September 2025, Bali, Indonesia, experienced floods and landslides triggered by days of torrential rain, resulting in at least 23 deaths and the collapse of hundreds of infrastructure sites. Despite Bali’s thriving tourism industry, insufficient investment in flood prevention and drainage system construction and maintenance has resulted in outdated drainage infrastructure with design flaws. Furthermore, extensive deforestation and wetland destruction to accommodate tourist demands have increased surface runoff, weakening the island’s water retention capacity.