Bali Floods Spark Debate on Overtourism, Land Conversion, and Climate Crisis

A series of flash floods that inundated parts of Bali this week has triggered fresh debate over the island’s rapid development, overtourism, and climate vulnerability. Environmental groups warn that unchecked land conversion and poor spatial planning are leaving the island increasingly exposed to climate disasters.

According to Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), torrential rainfall of more than 150 millimeters fell in just a few hours, overwhelming rivers and drainage systems. Several villages in Denpasar, Badung, and Gianyar reported heavy damage, while hundreds of residents were forced to evacuate.

Overtourism

For Made Krisna Dinata, Director of Walhi Bali, the disaster underscores how the island’s natural safeguards have been systematically dismantled in the name of tourism.

“Overtourism and massive development are eating away at Bali’s resilience,” Dinata told reporters. “Rice fields and the subak irrigation system used to act as natural flood barriers, but they are being converted into hotels, villas, and commercial complexes. When you build on these ecological buffers, floods become inevitable.”

Dinata criticized local governments for ignoring zoning rules, allowing construction along coastlines and rivers despite existing regulations. He warned that the relentless pace of development risks erasing Bali’s cultural and ecological heritage.

His concerns are backed by academic data. A 2024 study published in the Jurnal Tunas Agraria found that Bali lost vast areas of agricultural land to urban expansion between 2013 and 2023: 784.67 hectares in Denpasar, 2,676.61 hectares in Tabanan, 1,276.97 hectares in Gianyar, and 1,099.67 hectares in Badung. Researchers concluded that the loss of farmland not only undermines food security but also weakens Bali’s ability to absorb extreme rainfall.

Climate Crisis

Greenpeace Indonesia echoed these warnings but placed the floods in a broader climate context. Yuyun Harmono, Greenpeace’s Climate and Energy Campaigner, said extreme rainfall is becoming more frequent due to rising global temperatures.

“This is not just a local planning issue — it is part of the climate crisis,” Harmono said. “Warmer oceans fuel heavier downpours, while heat waves and erratic weather patterns are already hitting communities worldwide. In Bali, the impacts are magnified by land conversion and weak spatial planning.”

Harmono urged the Indonesian government to shift its development model. “We need a new direction — away from fossil fuels and toward renewable energy, with strict land-use policies that prioritize ecosystems and people, not profit,” he added.

The dual voices of Walhi and Greenpeace reflect a growing consensus among environmentalists that Bali’s vulnerability is both man-made and global. Locally, overtourism and unchecked construction erode traditional ecological defenses. Globally, climate change is intensifying the severity of rainfall and other extreme events.

As Bali rebuilds from the latest floods, residents and activists alike are calling for a fundamental rethinking of how the island balances its tourism economy with environmental sustainability. Without urgent action, they warn, disasters like these may become the new normal. (Sulung Prasetyo)