LBMNU’s ecological fatwa on mangrove conservation as a religio-legal pathway for localizing SDG 14: Insights from MWCNU Lamongan

Purpose – This article examines how the Bahtsul Masa’il formulation associated with LBM MWCNU Paciran frames mangrove planting as an Islamic legal responsibility and how this locally articulated norm relates to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14, particularly Target 14.2. Design – The study adopts a qualitative case-study design combining analysis of the institutional document “Rumusan Bahtsul Masa’il Mangrove MWC NU Paciran,” interviews with four participants involved in its formulation and validation, a contemporaneous public report, and relevant scholarly literature. Findings – The institutional formulation classifies mangrove planting as fardlu kifayah and states that the government should establish regulations supporting environmental preservation through mangrove conservation. Interviews illuminate the role of collective responsibility and reasoned fiqh interpretation. The evidence supports normative translation and alignment with SDG Target 14.2, but does not establish community-wide acceptance, policy implementation, or measurable ecological outcomes. Research Implications – The case indicates that religious-legal formulations may provide locally meaningful language for environmental governance. Their practical contribution, however, depends on further evidence of dissemination, stakeholder participation, institutional coordination, policy uptake, and ecological monitoring. Originality – The article distinguishes the production of a local religio-legal norm from its social authorization, implementation, and environmental impact. It thus offers an evidentially bounded account of how a local NU-linked forum can connect Islamic jurisprudence with the normative direction of SDG 14 without equating a written ruling with demonstrated sustainability outcomes.