WALHI East Java is part of the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (WALHI) as an independent, non-profit and largest environmental organization in Indonesia. In addition to East Java, WALHI is now present in 27 provinces with a total of 479 member organizations and 156 individual members (as of December 2011) who actively campaign at the local, national and international levels. At the international level, WALHI campaigns through the Friends of the Earth International network of 71 grassroots organizations in 70 countries, 15 affiliated organizations, and more than 2 million individual members and supporters throughout the world.

WALHI opposes the current development model which has the direction of economic and corporate globalization. WALHI promotes solutions that will help create a sustainable and socially just society. WALHI gained immense strength and knowledge from their work with the people who have been marginalized and become victims. WALHI together to conduct campaigns both locally, nationally and internationally.

History of WALHI East Java

Since the Stockholm 1972 Conference, Indonesian environmental activists have also concluded the same thing, that environmental issues are an important issue. On the initiative of group 10, it was discussed the possibility of a larger NGO meeting to respond to a larger issue. Until finally, at the national conference held in mid-October 1980, there were declarations and agreements from many organizations to establish the INDONESIA ENVIRONMENTAL WAHANA (WALHI). Until a few years later, at the initiative of several environmental activists in East Java, it was felt that the environment had to be fought for and saved because of severe environmental damage due to the impact of policies that did not favor the interests of the people and the environment. So that it was right in June 1982.

WALHI East Java, established in June 1982 (aged 23 years) began its struggle as a non-governmental organization that acted as a pressure group to fight for community rights and save the environment. Initially, there were only a few local NGO networks in East Java, and the WALHI organization in the region was called the Regional Presidium. Then it changed again to this FORDA (Regional Forum) between 1992-1995. Only in PNLH in 1996, in national decisions, WALHI in the region changed its shape to Regional Executive. And since 1999 the local NGO network of WALHI East Java has reached 42 NGOs spread across 14 districts / cities. Whereas in 2000, there were around 10 local NGOs registered as candidates for membership. In 2001, after verification, with measuring instruments as stated in the WALHI statute there are several institutions that are worthy of questioning their membership status in WALHI. Finally, there were only 19 institutions left until 2003. In 2004, a verification was conducted on the decision of the KDLH (Regional Environmental Consultation) which was conducted once every 1 (one) year as a mechanism for organizational decision making, agreed to need to verify the WALHI Jawa members East. And finally until now the remaining members are 15 non-governmental organizations, spread in 10 (ten) regencies / cities throughout East Java Province re-verification is conducted on the decision of the KDLH (Regional Environmental Consultation) which is carried out every 1 (one) year as a mechanism for organizational decision making, agreed upon the need to verify the WALHI members of East Java. And finally until now the remaining members are 15 non-governmental organizations, spread in 10 (ten) regencies / cities throughout East Java Province re-verification is conducted on the decision of the KDLH (Regional Environmental Consultation) which is carried out every 1 (one) year as a mechanism for organizational decision making, agreed upon the need to verify the WALHI members of East Java. And finally until now the remaining members are 15 non-governmental organizations, spread in 10 (ten) regencies / cities throughout East Java Province.