Is deforestation legal in Indonesia?
The Government of Indonesia has committed to reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation. However, the country suffers from one of the most significant illegal logging and illegal land clearing conditions in the world.
Why do people burn forests in Indonesia?
Environmental groups argue that Indonesia’s forest fires are a man-made crisis driven largely by corporate greed and weak law enforcement. In Indonesia, stronger environmental safeguards are needed together with greater accountability when companies raze forests and drain peatlands, leaving them vulnerable to fires.
Is slash and burn illegal in Indonesia?
Slash-and-burn is illegal in Indonesia but has been allowed to continue for years, with some saying corruption and weak governance have contributed to the situation.
Does Indonesia have forest fires?
SINGAPORE, Jan 14 (Reuters) – Indonesia’s devastating forest fires in 2019 burned nearly twice as much land as was officially reported, according to a recent study, raising concerns among environmental campaigners over the government’s transparency regarding deforestation.
How much logging in Indonesia is illegal?
A 2007 United Nations Environment Program report estimated that 73-88% of timber logged in Indonesia is illegally sourced. More recent estimates place the figure at a lower, but still troubling rate of 40-55%. And this illegal logging is not only costing the environment, but also the Indonesian people.
Why is there illegal logging in Indonesia?
This important natural resource has enabled Indonesia to become a key timber supplier for the legal world market. However, growing demand, falling supply and inadequate law enforcement and management have led to Indonesia also becoming a major source for illegally produced and exported timber.
How much of Indonesia has been deforested?
Although estimates vary widely, conservative studies suggest more than a million hectares (2.4 million acres) of Indonesian rainforest is cleared and lost each year, with about 70% occurring in forests on mineral soils and 30% on carbon-rich peatland forests.
Is deforestation in Indonesia getting better or worse?
The country, which had lost nearly 10 million hectares of primary forest in the past two decades, lost 115,459 hectares of forest cover, a 75% decrease from 2019, and the lowest rate since record-keeping began in 1990. However, Indonesia’s understanding of deforestation invites the need for a pause here.
Why is Indonesian deforestation bad?
Effects. Rapid and increasing deforestation harms Indonesia’s broad biodiversity and drives Indonesia’s greenhouse gas emissions, which are among the world’s highest. The conversion and burning of peat soils causes severe air pollution, presenting major public health harms.
Why are there so many forest fires in Indonesia?
Forest fires have become a seasonal phenomenon in Indonesia. At the root of the problem is the practice of forest clearance known as slash and burn, where land is set on fire as a cheaper way to clear it for new planting.
What is the haze from the Indonesia fires doing to Malaysia?
As well as Indonesia, the acrid haze from the fires is engulfing neighbouring Malaysia and Singapore and has reached as far as southern Thailand. Western Sumatra and Kalimantan have been worst affected by fires. What is the damage? The most obvious damage is to the forest where the fires are occurring.
What is the damage caused by the Sumatra fires?
Western Sumatra and Kalimantan have been worst affected by fires. What is the damage? The most obvious damage is to the forest where the fires are occurring. Indonesia’s tropical forests represent some of the most diverse habitats on the planet.
Are Indonesia’s fires a ‘crime against humanity?
The fires devastating Indonesia have been called a ‘crime against humanity’. How did they start, what damage are they causing and who’s to blame? A villager tries to extinguish a peatland fire on the outskirts of Palangkaraya city, Central Kalimantan.