For this purpose, the government has planned massive replantation of forest trees and to stop the cutting of forest trees.
However, it seems that it's not easy to stop the cutting of forest trees because many of them are done illegally as reported by Kompas below.
Due to this fact, I hope that the the government would do everything in its power to stop illegal cutting of forest trees, that way Indonesia can keep its promise to reduce Carbon Emission.
Indonesia 'Woefully Inadequate' on Illegal Loggers
Kamis, 5 Agustus 2010 | 17:38 WIB
AFP
This aerial picture taken on July 6, 2010, over eight concession areas of Indonesias biggest palm oil firm Sinar Mas, shows receding forest cover near Sinar Mas plantation area in Kapuas Hulu in West Kalimantan province on Borneo island. Sinar Mas is undergoing an independent audit of its practices, the results of which are expected in July following a Greenpeace report that the Indonesian firm was devastating rainforests and driving endangered species like orangutans into extinction. Anglo-Dutch food and cosmetics giant Unilever said on May 19, 2010 it would continue to get 65 percent of its total palm oil purchases from Indonesia, despite concerns about deforestation by the industry. Nestle, the worlds largest food company, had also dropped Sinar Mas as a palm oil supplier but said on May 17, 2010 it would resume buying from the company if an independent audit cleared the Jakarta-based firm of improper practices. Borneo island is rapidly losing its vast virgin forest due to palm oil plantations and illegal logging that is largely contributing to global warming. Sinar Mas said the palm oil industry is crucial to alleviating poverty in Indonesia as it provides direct employment for about 4.5 million people and generated 10.4 billion USD worth of exports last year.
JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Indonesia is allowing powerful businessmen to get rich from smuggling rare timber to China despite its pledges to crack down on illegal logging and preserve its forests, environmentalists said Thursday. An undercover probe by the independent Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) and local group Telapak found rampant smuggling of merbau, a valuable hardwood found mainly in Papua.
The probe tracked the illicit trade from the forests to the ships where the wood was being illegally exported, mainly to China, with the help of corrupt officials. Complaints to authorities about the two alleged kingpins in the trade had achieved nothing, the groups said in a report.
“While the huge quantity of illegal timber flowing from Indonesia during the first half of the decade has declined, effective law enforcement against those responsible — the financiers, company bosses and corrupt officials — has been woefully inadequate,” EIA campaign director Julian Newman said.
The groups called on Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to make good on his promises to crack down on what he has called the “logging mafia” that is accused of destroying much of the country’s pristine forests. Indonesia is one of the world’s biggest emitters of greenhouse gases blamed for global warming, mainly through deforestation.
Yudhoyono has pledged to slash its emissions by more than 40 percent over 2005 levels by 2020, as long as foreign donors pour billions of dollars into the country for forest preservation.
“The illegal trade of merbau is symptomatic of the wider problems and the governance failure in the forest sector in Indonesia,” Newman told reporters.
“It is not only the problems of Indonesia. China has been wide open to illegal timbers. We hope China will follow the US and the EU in banning illegal timber in a bid to protect forests.”
Telapak representative Hapsoro said the government was allowing the kingpins of the illegal trade to run riot.
“It is time for Indonesia to redouble its efforts to combat timber smuggling by going after the main culprits,” he said.
The probe tracked the illicit trade from the forests to the ships where the wood was being illegally exported, mainly to China, with the help of corrupt officials. Complaints to authorities about the two alleged kingpins in the trade had achieved nothing, the groups said in a report.
“While the huge quantity of illegal timber flowing from Indonesia during the first half of the decade has declined, effective law enforcement against those responsible — the financiers, company bosses and corrupt officials — has been woefully inadequate,” EIA campaign director Julian Newman said.
The groups called on Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to make good on his promises to crack down on what he has called the “logging mafia” that is accused of destroying much of the country’s pristine forests. Indonesia is one of the world’s biggest emitters of greenhouse gases blamed for global warming, mainly through deforestation.
Yudhoyono has pledged to slash its emissions by more than 40 percent over 2005 levels by 2020, as long as foreign donors pour billions of dollars into the country for forest preservation.
“The illegal trade of merbau is symptomatic of the wider problems and the governance failure in the forest sector in Indonesia,” Newman told reporters.
“It is not only the problems of Indonesia. China has been wide open to illegal timbers. We hope China will follow the US and the EU in banning illegal timber in a bid to protect forests.”
Telapak representative Hapsoro said the government was allowing the kingpins of the illegal trade to run riot.
“It is time for Indonesia to redouble its efforts to combat timber smuggling by going after the main culprits,” he said.
8 comments:
I think illegal logging is hard to prevent especially in some areas where it is one of there products. Government had been doing their jobs against it. I think if there is no Red Tape or "under the table" transactions, they will be stopped.
NGos also give there best in reforestation. But if it's always cutting and reforestation then cut logs again, how long will they last?
Nice blog post. It is a tought situation, and I am glad you bring it to light.
woefully inadequate is a little generous, as the problem is far, far, far worse than that!
"going after the main culprits" would be a really good idea. There is a catch however: what if a number of those who have to go after the culprits are the culprits?
@Lisa,
If there is a will to stop illegal logging I am sure the govt and their law enforcement agencies can stop it.
This is obvious, because process of cutting big trees from the forest, transport to the port and loading them unto ship cannot be done secretly. So the answer is the govt should have a sincere political will to eliminate illegal logging.
@Galla15,
Thank you for the kind words.
@Rob,
I agree that the problem is far far more worse.
@Colson,
That is exactly the problem, those who are supposed to catch the culprits may possible be culprits themselves.
what a pity our nature and our forrest
Yep, just like Mexico, currupt officials.
@Munir Ardi,
Yes what a pity.
@Industrial Training,
Oh, I thought that Mexico is better
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