A quest for agency in the Anthropocene: Law and environmental movements in Southeast Asia

The Anthropocene questions the very foundation of environmental law. Many legal scholars have proposed directions on how environmental law should be transformed to respond to complex challenges in the new geological epoch. However, they tend to avoid questions about which social actors should be regarded as the agents of change to bring about such a transformation. This article addresses the question of agency by considering the experience of Southeast Asia. By employing a comparative perspective, this article reveals that environmental movements are a major agent of change in the Anthropocene because they have been playing a pivotal role in progressing environmental law in the region. However, despite their importance in the region, environmental movements have persistently been confronted by intimidation, repression and even murder. © 2022 The Author. Review of European, Comparative & International Environmental Law published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.