APP to Preserve Indonesia’s Rainforests

Pressure from Greenpeace and awareness among Asia Pulp & Paper’s multinational customer base have prompted a promise from the firm to stop cutting natural forests and draining peatlands in Indonesia, reports Ben Bland for the Financial Times. The company is also calling on other logging firms operating in Indonesia to join the effort, as Indonesian people alone would have low carbon emissions. Yet, “Indonesia is one of the world’s biggest emitters of the greenhouse gasses that are believed to cause climate change, with the bulk of its emissions coming from deforestation and the draining of peatlands,” Bland explains. Weak governance and corruption contribute to illegal and legal logging. The government welcomed the pledge, but noted that lack of education and lure of high profits will continue to threaten the forests and peatlands. Greenpeace representatives conclude that the pledge alone is not enough and vow to continue monitoring and exposing activities of logging, pulp and packaging companies. – YaleGlobal