Last Wednesday, the Indonesian government and the European Union concluded the Voluntary Partnership Agreement on Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade (VPA FLEGT).that would redule Illegal Logging, Log Laundering and other related activities in Indonesia.
According to the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs this agreement will support Indonesia's efforts to strengthen Good Governance, Law Enforcement and Accountability in its Forest sector.
Indonesia plan to audit all of its 4,500 producers, processors and exporters to ensure the legality of all Timber, Paper, and Pulp products exported to the E.U and other markets.
And the E.U will guarantee free and unrestricted access for all FLEGT licensed Timber products coming from Indonesia and will seek to increase the visibility of FLEGT products in the E.U.
Indonesia and the E.U aimed to commence FLEGT licensing procedures at the beginning of 2013, ahead of the entry into operations of the E.U Timber Regulation in March 2013 which will prohibit the first sale of illegal Timer in the E.U.
I hope that this agreement will end, or at least reduce illegal logging that has plagued Indonesia for many years.
Showing posts with label Illegal logging. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Illegal logging. Show all posts
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Aceh's Logging Moratorium Nominated for International Award
When the Flash Flood hit Pidie in the province of Aceh, on 28 February, the Governor of Aceh stated that the tragedy was caused by illegal logging i.e. cutting of forest trees, in said province.
This statement surprised me because the provincial government of Aceh has issued a Logging Moratorium i.e. stop the cutting of forest trees, since 2007.
But today I was happy when I read on The Jakarta Globe that the World Future Council has nominated the Instruction of the Governor of Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam No.5/INSTR/2007 re: Logging Moratorium as one of the nominees for the World's Best Forrest Policies.
Beside Aceh's Logging Moratorium, Forrest policies from Bhutan, Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Finland, Gambia, Guatemala, Kenya, Nepal, Norway, India, Rwanda, Turkey, the United States of America and Vietnam had also been short-listed.
Three winning policies will be announced on 21 September at the United Nations headquarters in New York.
Considering the above I felt that in spite of the obstructions in the implementation of the Logging Moratorium that caused illegal logging still exist, efforts to preserve forrest in Aceh are still considered successful.
I hope that this nomination will strengthen the will and spirit of the provincial government and law enforcement agencies in the province of Aceh to eliminate illegal logging and bring those responsible to the Court of Law.
This statement surprised me because the provincial government of Aceh has issued a Logging Moratorium i.e. stop the cutting of forest trees, since 2007.
But today I was happy when I read on The Jakarta Globe that the World Future Council has nominated the Instruction of the Governor of Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam No.5/INSTR/2007 re: Logging Moratorium as one of the nominees for the World's Best Forrest Policies.
Beside Aceh's Logging Moratorium, Forrest policies from Bhutan, Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Finland, Gambia, Guatemala, Kenya, Nepal, Norway, India, Rwanda, Turkey, the United States of America and Vietnam had also been short-listed.
Three winning policies will be announced on 21 September at the United Nations headquarters in New York.
Considering the above I felt that in spite of the obstructions in the implementation of the Logging Moratorium that caused illegal logging still exist, efforts to preserve forrest in Aceh are still considered successful.
I hope that this nomination will strengthen the will and spirit of the provincial government and law enforcement agencies in the province of Aceh to eliminate illegal logging and bring those responsible to the Court of Law.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Illegal Logging
The Logging business is a series of activities that cannot be done silently and illegally.
In order to be running, the business must involve so many parties, workers, equipments and transportation, starting from the cutting of trees in the forest, transporting the logs to the port, and loading them unto sea vessels.
However, believe it or not, in Indonesia many logs have been cut, transported exported illegally for many years.
But it seems that this illegal business will end very soon after the government decided to ban export of illegal timber as reported by The Jakarta Post (below).
Indonesia bans exports of illegally harvested timber
The government made it mandatory for forestry companies to obtain official certificates to show that timber has been legally sourced without damaging forests. The policy has been deemed necessary since according to official statistics illegal logging activities have been destroying more than 1 million hectares of forests each year.
“If a source of timber is untraceable, it will be categorized as illegal and byproducts will be ineligible for export to markets in the EU,” Hadi Daryanto, the director general of forest product development
at the Forestry Ministry, told The Jakarta Post.
The Timber Legality Verification System (SVLK) would be applied for industrial forest concessions (HTI), production forest concessions (HPH) and community plantation forests (HTR).
“We also want to fight trade fostered by illegal logging,” Hadi said.
The new requirement was issued after the European Parliament voted in favor of a ban on the sale of illegally harvested timber and timber products in the European market.
The EU regulation on importation of illegal timber, previously known as “due diligence” is expected to be fully in place by 2013.
The Countries that sign the EU-based Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) would be considered in compliance with EU timber regulations, Hadi said.
“We have long demanded that once we sign the VPA, timber from Indonesia will be subject to due diligence,” he said.
The agreement is an EU licensing scheme to ensure all timber products entering EU member countries have been produced legally.
“The European Commission delegation has agreed in principle with the standard developed under Indonesia’s SVLK system,” Hadi added.
Indonesia and the European Commission began negotiations on the VPA in January 2007.
A technical meeting between both parties is scheduled for this month in Jakarta to clarify the details of the agreement before it is signed later this year.
“We should have the annexes completed by the end of October,” Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) VPA facilitator Andy Roby told the Post, adding that experts from the European Union and Indonesia would meet in Jakarta to further discuss Indonesia’s SVLK system.
“The [SVLK] standard is already accepted by stakeholders in Indonesia. Now we just need to complete the system,” he said.
Roby said there was a need to appoint an agency that would take responsibility for licensing control before exporting wood and wood products.
There are currently five independent institutions that have been accredited by the National Accreditation Committee (KAN) to check whether harvested timber is legal.
The five institutions are PT Sucofindo, PT Mutuagung Lestari, PT Mutu Hijau Indonesia, PT TUV International Indonesia and the Forest Industry Revitalization Board (BRIK).
Previously, BRIK was the only institution able to certify wood and wood products in Indonesia.
Indonesia, home to 120 million hectares of forests, exports about 33 percent of its timber products to the EU market each year.
Activists have long maintained that much of Indonesia’s illegal timber has been shipped to other countries, including China and Malaysia, before being exported as sawn timber and finished wood products to international markets in Europe and the United States.
The EU is currently negotiating its VPAs with a number of countries, including Malaysia.
In order to be running, the business must involve so many parties, workers, equipments and transportation, starting from the cutting of trees in the forest, transporting the logs to the port, and loading them unto sea vessels.
However, believe it or not, in Indonesia many logs have been cut, transported exported illegally for many years.
But it seems that this illegal business will end very soon after the government decided to ban export of illegal timber as reported by The Jakarta Post (below).
Indonesia bans exports of illegally harvested timber
Adianto P. Simamora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Mon, 09/13/2010 9:28 AM |
Stepping up its fight against illegal logging, the government began the implementation early this month of a ban on exports of illegally harvested wood and wood products.The government made it mandatory for forestry companies to obtain official certificates to show that timber has been legally sourced without damaging forests. The policy has been deemed necessary since according to official statistics illegal logging activities have been destroying more than 1 million hectares of forests each year.
“If a source of timber is untraceable, it will be categorized as illegal and byproducts will be ineligible for export to markets in the EU,” Hadi Daryanto, the director general of forest product development
at the Forestry Ministry, told The Jakarta Post.
The Timber Legality Verification System (SVLK) would be applied for industrial forest concessions (HTI), production forest concessions (HPH) and community plantation forests (HTR).
“We also want to fight trade fostered by illegal logging,” Hadi said.
The new requirement was issued after the European Parliament voted in favor of a ban on the sale of illegally harvested timber and timber products in the European market.
The EU regulation on importation of illegal timber, previously known as “due diligence” is expected to be fully in place by 2013.
The Countries that sign the EU-based Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) would be considered in compliance with EU timber regulations, Hadi said.
“We have long demanded that once we sign the VPA, timber from Indonesia will be subject to due diligence,” he said.
The agreement is an EU licensing scheme to ensure all timber products entering EU member countries have been produced legally.
“The European Commission delegation has agreed in principle with the standard developed under Indonesia’s SVLK system,” Hadi added.
Indonesia and the European Commission began negotiations on the VPA in January 2007.
A technical meeting between both parties is scheduled for this month in Jakarta to clarify the details of the agreement before it is signed later this year.
“We should have the annexes completed by the end of October,” Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) VPA facilitator Andy Roby told the Post, adding that experts from the European Union and Indonesia would meet in Jakarta to further discuss Indonesia’s SVLK system.
“The [SVLK] standard is already accepted by stakeholders in Indonesia. Now we just need to complete the system,” he said.
Roby said there was a need to appoint an agency that would take responsibility for licensing control before exporting wood and wood products.
There are currently five independent institutions that have been accredited by the National Accreditation Committee (KAN) to check whether harvested timber is legal.
The five institutions are PT Sucofindo, PT Mutuagung Lestari, PT Mutu Hijau Indonesia, PT TUV International Indonesia and the Forest Industry Revitalization Board (BRIK).
Previously, BRIK was the only institution able to certify wood and wood products in Indonesia.
Indonesia, home to 120 million hectares of forests, exports about 33 percent of its timber products to the EU market each year.
Activists have long maintained that much of Indonesia’s illegal timber has been shipped to other countries, including China and Malaysia, before being exported as sawn timber and finished wood products to international markets in Europe and the United States.
The EU is currently negotiating its VPAs with a number of countries, including Malaysia.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Illegal Logging Today
President Susilo Bambang Yudoyono has promised international leaders that Indonesia will voluntarily reduce 26% Carbon Emission by 2020. And if we are helped by other countries, we can even reduce up to 41%
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.
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.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Illegal Logging in Indonesia decreases by 75%
This morning I read an article on the online site Top News (below) reporting that the global production of Illegal Timber has decreased by 22%, and 75% in Indonesia, since 2002.
Illegal Logging Declines By 22%
A recently released report by Chatham House has revealed that global production of illegal timber has decreased by nearly 22%, since 2002. This is the first comprehensive report on this matter and it confirmed that steps taken by the countries to deal with this issue have generated significant impact.
As per the report, illegal logging has declined by 50% in Cameroon, between 50-75% in the Brazilian Amazon and by almost 75% in Indonesia, since the last decade.
In this report, various countries like Malaysia, Ghana, Cameroon, Indonesia and Brazil apart from countries that use these products like the UK, US, Japan, France and the Netherlands have been surveyed. The survey also covers processing countries, China and Vietnam.
But, illegal logging still remains a big issue across the world and this is especially more prevalent in the developing countries.
To deal with this problem, various developed and developing countries are working together. The lead author of the report, Sam Lawson stressed that more efforts are required to deal with this issue.
The issue severely harms the interests of developing countries and also has a negative impact on the environment.
The reduction in illegal logging will also have a positive impact on the environment and also, reduce the global warming process. Experts feel that more efforts are required to completely root out this problem across the world.
Illegal Logging Declines By 22%
A recently released report by Chatham House has revealed that global production of illegal timber has decreased by nearly 22%, since 2002. This is the first comprehensive report on this matter and it confirmed that steps taken by the countries to deal with this issue have generated significant impact.
As per the report, illegal logging has declined by 50% in Cameroon, between 50-75% in the Brazilian Amazon and by almost 75% in Indonesia, since the last decade.
In this report, various countries like Malaysia, Ghana, Cameroon, Indonesia and Brazil apart from countries that use these products like the UK, US, Japan, France and the Netherlands have been surveyed. The survey also covers processing countries, China and Vietnam.
But, illegal logging still remains a big issue across the world and this is especially more prevalent in the developing countries.
To deal with this problem, various developed and developing countries are working together. The lead author of the report, Sam Lawson stressed that more efforts are required to deal with this issue.
The issue severely harms the interests of developing countries and also has a negative impact on the environment.
The reduction in illegal logging will also have a positive impact on the environment and also, reduce the global warming process. Experts feel that more efforts are required to completely root out this problem across the world.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Moratorium on Deforestration
Last month President Susilo Bambang Yudoyono (SBY) announced a two-year moratorium on Deforestation starting 2011 in exchange for a US$ 1 Billion aid from Norway.
Unfortunately, no one knows how will the moratorium be enforced considering that illegal logging is rampant and official figures about deforestation is doubtful.
Please find below an article about this that I have quoted from Kompas.
Unfortunately, no one knows how will the moratorium be enforced considering that illegal logging is rampant and official figures about deforestation is doubtful.
Please find below an article about this that I have quoted from Kompas.
SBY: Indonesia Has 'Trust Deficit'
Jumat, 11 Juni 2010 | 08:18 WIB
JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Indonesian
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Thursday acknowledged his country lacked credibility, as it seeks billions of dollars in foreign aid to battle climate change.
He said Indonesia suffered a “trust deficit“ in the international community that was hampering its ability to win backing for initiatives such as a moratorium on deforestation and cuts to greenhouse gas emissions.
“This is the reason for reform. We can turn the trust deficit into a trust surplus. Let's be sure that the institutions in this country are credible,“ he said in his opening remarks to a weekly cabinet meeting.
Indonesia is one of the top emitters of climate-warming gases blamed for rising global temperatures, largely through deforestation due to illegal logging and clearing for palm oil plantations.
Yudhoyono shocked environmentalists and palm planters alike last month when he announced a two-year moratorium on deforestation from 2011 in exchange for $1 billion in aid from Norway. But no one knows how the moratorium will be enforced in a country where experts say illegal logging is rampant and the government's figures about deforestation rates and forest cover are seen as wildly inaccurate.
“All institutions in this country must be credible so that there are no obstacles when we seek cooperation with friendly countries and the international community,“ Yudhoyono said, referring to the pact with Norway.
I ask (ministers) not to be discouraged, not to be angry, that frankly the international community does not fully trust the institutions in many developing countries including ours.“
Norway will offer aid from 2014 but only as long as Indonesia has made verifiable progress in halting deforestation. The verifiability of such initiatives is crucial to broader U.N.-backed efforts to link developed-world climate change funds to forest conservation in developing countries like Indonesia.
“If there is no reduced deforestation, we will not pay. If there is reduced deforestation, we will pay,“ Norwegian Prime Minister Stoltenberg told a press conference in Oslo as the moratorium was announced last month.
The U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimates deforestation is responsible for 17% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
“This is the reason for reform. We can turn the trust deficit into a trust surplus. Let's be sure that the institutions in this country are credible,“ he said in his opening remarks to a weekly cabinet meeting.
Indonesia is one of the top emitters of climate-warming gases blamed for rising global temperatures, largely through deforestation due to illegal logging and clearing for palm oil plantations.
Yudhoyono shocked environmentalists and palm planters alike last month when he announced a two-year moratorium on deforestation from 2011 in exchange for $1 billion in aid from Norway. But no one knows how the moratorium will be enforced in a country where experts say illegal logging is rampant and the government's figures about deforestation rates and forest cover are seen as wildly inaccurate.
“All institutions in this country must be credible so that there are no obstacles when we seek cooperation with friendly countries and the international community,“ Yudhoyono said, referring to the pact with Norway.
I ask (ministers) not to be discouraged, not to be angry, that frankly the international community does not fully trust the institutions in many developing countries including ours.“
Norway will offer aid from 2014 but only as long as Indonesia has made verifiable progress in halting deforestation. The verifiability of such initiatives is crucial to broader U.N.-backed efforts to link developed-world climate change funds to forest conservation in developing countries like Indonesia.
“If there is no reduced deforestation, we will not pay. If there is reduced deforestation, we will pay,“ Norwegian Prime Minister Stoltenberg told a press conference in Oslo as the moratorium was announced last month.
The U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimates deforestation is responsible for 17% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Plan to Reduce Gas Emission
This promise can be achieved, if the government stop giving license to cut forest trees and convert protected forests into commercial plantations or other purposes. Beside that, it should also start a massive replanting of forests immediately.
But this seems to be difficult to achieve because according to NGO Greenomics, the Department of Forestry has proposed a forestry program that will allow conversion of 3.4 million hectares of forests into mining and development areas over the next 10 years. If the proposal is agreed, gas emissions will likely increase by up to 850 million tons over the next 10 years.
Beside that, there is another problem i.e. according to a study by the University of Indonesia, personnel of the military has been deeply involved in the illegal logging business that is destroying vast tracts of pristine forest and contributing to global warming.
For detailed media reports, please click here and here.
Considering the above, I hope that the government would immediately revise the forestry program and make efforts to stop involvement of military personnel in the illegal logging business.
Photo : Courtesy of The Jakarta Globe/AP
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