Monday, 30 November 2009

News about orangutans

Interested in orangutans and rainforests?

Would you like to receive news updates on both?

Then please send an email to sw@naturealert.org with NEWS PLEASE added to the Subject box.

We will never pass your address on to anyone else.

Sunday, 29 November 2009

Something to think about

Something to think about

"What changes the world for the better is

the passion of

certain individuals, not governments,

not big organisations."

Paul Watson. Sea Shepherd

Saturday, 28 November 2009

Something else to think about

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful,

committed citizens can change the world.

Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.

Margaret Mead

Friday, 27 November 2009

THINKERS OF THE JUNGLE

Arguably the best ever book on
orangutans and one we
HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

Just click on the link below.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Thinkers-Jungle-Gerd-Schuster/dp/3833146230/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1258314145&sr=1-3

Thursday, 26 November 2009

Mars won't help save orangutans

This week a BBC TV a programme on food content contained an outstanding

piece of journalism featuring palm oil and the Mars food company.

If you live in the UK you can still watch the programme at the BBC iPlayer web site http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00nxckk/Britains_Really_Disgusting_Food_Dairy/

I can highly recommend this film. When viewing, be patient as it is not the first topic covered.

How can both Mars and the Rainforest Alliance can justify the latter's endorsement of the Galaxy chocolate brand?

Also of concern is the lethargic, complacent attitude of Mars towards using only sustainable palm oil.They have set themselves a new target of 2015 to comply. It had been 2020. Six years at the minimum, when ample supplies are already available. According to the BBC, using sustainable palm oil would add just half of

one pence to a bar of chocolate.

If we all wait for Mars, another 9 - 12,000 orangutans will have been killed and millions of other animals as well as trees destroyed. Right now, if you eat a product made by Mars it could (almost certainly will) have palm oil in it which has caused thousands of orangutans already to die.

PLEASE WILL YOU HELP?

Please will you write to Mars, today, whilst it's fresh in your mind and easy to do, and ask them to bring forward to 2011 at the latest, their deadline for using only fully sustainable RSPO approved palm oil? Explain to them you don't want to see or hear of more orangutans being killed whilst they procrastinate and you don't want chocolate tainted with the blood of slaughtered orangutans.

Writing to Paul S. Michaels - President and CEO of Mars is easy and quick at http://www.mars.com/global/Contact+us.htm

and if you live in the UK http://www.mars.com/United+Kingdom/en/Contact+us/Consumer+Care.htm

If you are hesitant to write, take a look on the face of the baby in the photo above. She saw her mother killed by palm oil plantation workers. Several months later this baby died. Imagine if you will what she went through in her short life.

Nature Alert does not ask you for money, only a little of your time, occasionally. Please will you now write to Mars?

On behalf of the orangutans, thank you.

Sean Whyte

Nature Alert

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.

Sunday, 22 November 2009

Palm oil buyers scorecard

For the first time I have something good to say about WWF.

If you have not already seen it, the information on the following attachment will be of interest I'm sure. It applies to Europe and we badly need something similar for the USA (where the world's largest conservation groups are, but none of whom are raising a finger to raise awareness of this issue in their own country) and Australia.

http://assets.panda.org/downloads/wwfpalmoilbuyerscorecard2009.pdf

Rally backs SBY's greenhouse pledge

Adianto P. Simamora , THE JAKARTA POST , JAKARTA | Sun, 11/22/2009

Hundreds of Greenpeace forest campaigners staged a rally here Saturday to throw their weight behind President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in his pledge to slash emissions from forest and peatland clearing.

The activists called on Yudho-yono to turn his promises into concrete actions to stop the destruction.

"If business runs as usual, Yu-dhoyono's promises on emissions cuts will be meaningless, because deforestation will continue," Greenpeace Southeast Asia forest campaigner Yuyun Indradi said.

"We have come to voice our support for Yudhoyono to meet his target on emissions cuts. The President has shown his true political leadership though his commitment to reducing emissions."

Around 150 Greenpeace campaigners from Surabaya, Semarang, Bandung and Jakarta - carrying banners, one which reads "Stop talking, start acting to save forests for our future" - staged the rally in the National Monument (Monas) area.

The rally came after the Greenpeace set up "Climate Defender Camp" in Semenanjung Kampar, Riau, to protest the destruction of peatland, which has been estimated to contain an equivalent of around 2 gigatons of greenhouse gases.

Palalawan Police forced the camp protesters to leave and deported Greenpeace activists and journalists covering the event.

Yuyun called on Yudhoyono to first revoke policies that were damaging to forest protection programs.

The Forestry Ministry, under former minister Malam Sambat Kaban, issued the 2009 ministerial decree on the natural forests, which allows the country's pulp and paper firms to extend the use of natural forests until 2014 (from the previous of 2009).

The Agriculture Ministry also issued a regulation allowing the clearing of peatland for agricultural use, including for oil palm plantations.

Indonesia has more than 20 million hectares of peatland, most of them are scattered in Sumatra, Kalimantan and Papua islands.

The deforestation rate of very deep peatlands reached 398,000 hectares per year in Sumatra between 2000 and 2005, data from WWF Indonesia shows.

In Central Kalimantan, peatland degradation is occurring in both shallow and deep areas at the rate of 20,000 to 25,000 hectares per year.

As of 2000, about 2.5 million hectares, or 12 percent of the country's total land area, was managed as forestry production concessions (HPH), 2.1 million hectares or 10 percent as industrial timber plantations (HTI) and 2.8 million hectares as oil palm plantations.

Greenpeace said that Semenanjung Kampar was one of the largest carbon stores in the world with peat layers up to 15 meters deep, holding more than 2 gigatons of greenhouse gases.

"If the peat land in Semenanjung is cleared and drained for pulp and paper companies, it will only increase Indonesia's emissions and then undermine Yudhoyono's climate commitment," Yuyun said.

Yudhoyono has pledged to the international community that Indonesia will cut its greenhouse emissions by 26 percent by 2020, using the state budget to fight climate change.

The voluntary emissions cut would be achieved with regulation of the forestry and energy sectors.

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/11/22/rally-backs-sby039s-greenhouse-pledge.html

Under threat from the outside world

Images : Under threat from the outside world

Sun, 11/22/2009 Lifestyle The Jakarta Post

Deforestation, which has become a hot topic for global talks in the past few years, is directly affecting the life of the Orang Rimba tribe who live deep in the jungles of Jambi, a province in Sumatra.

The tribe has been experiencing climate change, the shrinking of their forest home and decreasing biodiversity in the forest - an impact of deforestation.

"The size of the forest has been shrinking due to the forest fires or land clearances for cultivation. We are worried about this phenomenon," said Tumenggung Grip, head of the Orang Rimba tribe in the Bukit 12 neighborhood.

Today, fewer than 5,000 people from the Orang Rimba tribe live in the jungles of Jambi. They are scattered across various locations including the Bukit 12 and Bukit 30 neighborhoods.

Usually living on the slopes of the mountains or among the huge trees not far from the river, the tribe is also known by the name of the river near where they live.

Tumenggung and his community are known as the Orang Rimba Makekah Hulu, or the tribe who live near the upper course of the Makekah River.

They live in simple huts made of wood, leaves and, sometimes, tarpaulin. They collect rattan and sell it to people living near the forest. They catch fish and boars for daily consumption.

However, the ever-expanding palm oil plantations and the activities of the people from outside the forest pose a real threat to their future.

"The forest is shrinking," Tumenggung lamented. "What will become of our children?"

- Text and photos by Iman D. Nugroho

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/11/22/images-under-threat-outside-world.html

Google - the new eye in the sky for protecting forests?

http://news.mongabay.com/2009/1121-monaghan_prp.html

Saturday, 21 November 2009

Greenpeace supports SBY's pledge to cut emissions

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/11/21/greenpeace-supports-sby%E2%80%99s-pledge-cut-emissions.html

Good customer relations

PERSONAL NOTE: A reply to a supporter who enquired about this company's use of palm oil. Look at how much care the company has taken with its reply, and compare this to replies from non-caring companies such as Mars.

-------------------------------------------------------

Dear

Many thanks for your e-mail regarding the work you are doing to raise awareness about the destruction of the rainforest and your questions about our own rainforest activities. It’s good to hear of your commitment to raising awareness of these important issues.

For the first stage of our Yorkshire Rainforest Project (our family business’s pledge to save an area of rainforest the size of Yorkshire), we are working with the Rainforest Foundation UK in Peru’s Amazon rainforest to save an area of rainforest larger than the Yorkshire Dales.

The project is working with the Ashaninka community who live in the Selva Central region of Peru and call the rainforest home. With our support, the Rainforest Foundation UK will help the community to gain the skills and confidence to protect their rights and to help families make a living by developing small-scale sustainable livelihoods so that they can manage and look after the rainforest for future generations. Orang-utans are not native to this project area, although they may play a part in future stages of our rainforest saving activities.

You also asked about whether we use Palm Oil in any of our Bettys specialities. With all our specialities we look for the highest quality ingredients from sustainable sources so, although we do need to use a small amount of palm oil, it is certified organic from South America. The suppliers who source our palm oil are committed to sustainable development and are members of the RSPO, the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil, who are working in cooperation with the World Wildlife Fund to make sure that palm oil is farmed responsibly and with regard to conservation of natural resources and preservation of biodiversity.

I do hope this information is helpful to you and if you have any further questions please do let me know.

Thanks again for getting in touch, and all best wishes

Sam Gibson

Samantha Gibson

Bettys & Taylors of Harrogate

Tel: 01423 814000

Bulgaria Palm Oil Plans: Orangutans or Money

The reputation of the palm oil industry has even reached Bulgaria.

Bulgaria Palm Oil Plans: Orangutans or Money

http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=110237

Governor of Aceh asked the AFEP project to cease immediately

Saturday, 21 November 2009 03:37

Governor of Aceh asked the AFEP project to cease immediately

Warta - English News

WASPADA ONLINE

BANDA ACEH – The Governor of Aceh Irwandi Yusuf asked for the Aceh Forest Environment Project (AFEP) activities to be cease immediately because there was no benefit for the conservation and communities in the area.

"Mr. Governor will call the entire AFEP executor to ask for their responsibilities on the project after he finished pilgrimage ritual in early December 2009," chief of the Leuser Ecosystem Area Management Agency (BPKEL), Fauzan Azima, said in Banda Aceh, this afternoon.

That was because there are many people who complain that the project is not worth it, he said. The governor told that during his departure to the holy land.

As known, the Ulu Masen Ecosystem Region (KEU) project executor is the Flora Fauna International (FFI) and Leuser Ecosystem Area (KEL) executed by the Leuser International Foundation (YLI).

AFEP project funded by the Multi Donor Fund (MDF) worth 17.5 million U.S. dollars or about Rp175 billion during the four years term that has started since 2006.

Governor, he said, had heard that AFEP project has been running for four years, but have not brought success, especially in providing benefits to the people of Aceh in the surrounding forest area.

Governor, he said, also was tired of hearing one-sided publication of AFEP project’s success by the executor, such as opening an orchid garden in South Aceh with area of one hectare. This is not comparable to the amount of the managed funds.

“For that, he called, the governor will write to the World Bank as the manager of the Multi Donor Fund funds to stop the AFEP project,” he said.

Previously, governor Irwandi has also received input from the MDF’s advisor stating that the MDF will no longer need to support the AFEP project. This is because besides being useless, it was also irrelevant to the current situation in Aceh, where the government of Aceh has been rolled a number of policies such as Aceh Green, BPKEL and Logging Moratorium.

He added that if the MDF want to support the success of Aceh government’s programs, they should work directly with the Government of Aceh and the MDF’s funds may be used for something useful.

To take into account, many Aceh’s forests is currently still under pressure as rampant illegal logging is still continues and encroachment by economic reasons from the surrounding forest communities that are still having a hard time and the rise of wildlife conflicts with people.

“This can be seen as an indicator that the AFEP project should be evaluated again for they have failed to overcome this,” he said.

Translated by: Gugi Ginanjar

Greenpeace rallies to stop deforestation in Indonesia

WELL DONE GREENPEACE

Greenpeace rallies to stop deforestation in Indonesia

http://www.mysinchew.com/node/31799

Enough said

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/11/21/enough-said.html

Expert warns of potential conflicts from REDD scheme

Personal note: I'm no expert and I have been saying much the same for at least a year. Despite all you read about the problems with REDD, and there are a lot, some conservation groups have already got their greasy palms on REDD money and others are in the queue....maybe even the organisation you support. As you might imagine, governments like the one in Indonesia, cannot wait to get their hands on this REDD 'gold'.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Expert warns of potential conflicts from REDD scheme

Adianto P. Simamora , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Sat, 11/21/2009

An expert has warned that the REDD emissions reduction scheme designed to protect forests could be prone to conflicts between rich and rainforest nations, including Indonesia, which could in turn threaten bilateral relations because of complicated mechanisms involved in the monitoring of the scheme.

Nautilus Institute Australia director Richard Tanter said implementing the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) scheme without strong assurance of legal and commercial integrity would likely to generate deep conflicts.

"This could be a new version of a conflict between the West and the rest," he said.

The reduction of emissions of rich countries will be highly dependent on REDD projects in Brazil, the Congo, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.

"What will happen is rich nations will be very angry if rainforest countries fail to stick to the pledged contracts," he said.

"On the other hand, selling countries such as Indonesia would retaliate by saying "it is not fair for rich nations to impose ecological debts on developing countries", Tanter said.

"This will make the REDD scheme prone to conflicts," he said.

Tanter, a professor at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT), said politicians in richer nations would use the failure to implement REDD as a tool to pressure forested countries in the international arena.

Tanter made a presentation titled Climate change, security and the military at the Office of the State Minister for the Environment, on Friday.

State Minister for the Environment Gusti Muhamad Hatta and his senior officials attended the meeting.

"I think we are on the right track with discussions on the REDD scheme, including its monitoring mechanisms," Gusti told reporters after the meeting.

Emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries constitute around 20 percent of the total global emissions annually.

However, such emissions are not included under the existing agreement on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions - the Kyoto Protocol.

Negotiators from 190 countries will meet in Copenhagen in December to discuss a new binding treaty to replace the Kyoto Protocol, which is due to expire in 2012.

The REDD scheme will be one of the most crucial areas to be resolved in Copenhagen, aiming to provide forested countries such as Indonesia with a mechanism to gain financial incentives for protecting forests.

In terms of the REDD scheme, the most crucial issues are the monitoring, reporting and verifying (MRV) of emissions once a project takes place, Tanter said.

Many observers anticipate that the Copenhagen climate talks will not produce a legally binding treaty because of strong resistance from developed nations to reduce emissions.

Forest specialists in Indonesia have repeatedly warned the government of new conflicts between local peoples caused by the administration's unclear forest regulations.

The government has said the REDD scheme could be effective in Indonesia if the main drivers of deforestation and forest degradation, such as illegal logging and forest conversion, can be addressed properly.

Many regional administrations, however, are also still unaware of the scheme, with most still focussed on making money from destructive projects.

Following the introduction of regional autonomy, many regional administrations have issued forestry licenses to gain revenue. Previously, only the central government had the authority to issue such licenses.

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/11/21/expert-warns-potential-conflicts-redd-scheme.html

Indonesia's deforestation problems even makes the news in Qatar.

Indonesia's deforestation problems even makes the news in Qatar.

http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/commentary/commentaryother.asp?file=novembercommentary102009.xml

RSPO still intact despite greenhouse gas contention

RSPO still intact despite greenhouse gas contention

http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/11/21/business/5154463&sec=business

donors must fight corruption

In the first two paragraphs of this article one could replace the word Afghanistan with Indonesia, and the EU, The World Bank, as well as individual goverments could (should) learn from this. I wonder if they will or, like in Afghanistan people will keep throwing money at the problems in Indonesia in the 'hope' this will make the problems go away. So far, it never has. It is probably YOUR money they are throwing away.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/8371766.stm

Bank unit to review palm oil and other carbon-intensive loans

http://www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11648.aspx

Friday, 20 November 2009

World Bank arm offers $200m in loans to reforest Indonesia

Personal note: More taxpayers money being thrown away.

World Bank arm offers $200m in loans to reforest Indonesia

http://www.businessgreen.com/business-green/news/2253653/world-bank-arm-offers-200m

Private sector foils govt’s environment protection efforts: Ex-ministers

Despite this admission (the tip of the iceberg) governments and the EU still send money to Indonesia to save forests. Presumably they (British and American governments especially) believe in miracles; either that or they are even more incompetent than I give them credit for. Our money is going into a black hole, much as it always has done in Indonesia.

------------------

Adianto P. Simamora , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Fri, 11/20/2009

Prestigious awards, including Kalpataru, seem ineffective in promoting environment protection, especially because of strong pressures from the private sector, which exploits its huge capital to weaken the government’s nature conservation policies.

Former environment minister Juwono Sudarsono said Indonesia was facing a dilemma between protecting the environment and accommodating the greedy market force.

“With all my respect to Kalpataru, the value of the trophy has been eroded given the massive conversion of [state land] into real estate across the country,” Juwono told a discussion at the Office of the State Minister for the Environment, on Friday.

He said the private sector was armed with better capabilities in terms of technology, and capital, than the government.

“It makes the government so weak, including the Office of State Minister for the Environment, in fighting for public interests, including environmental protection,” he said.

Juwono held the ministerial post for 70 days under former president Abdurrahman Wahid.

The Kalpataru trophy is the most prestigious award given by the government to people or communities that contribute to the preservation and improvement of their environment.

Another former environment minister, Sarwono Kusumaatmadja, said the private sector played a major role in environmental degradation in the country.

“Worse, many of the current top politicians who are responsible for environment-related policies are businessmen,” he said.

http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/11/20/private-sector-foils-govt%E2%80%99s-environment-protection-efforts-exministers.html

Kaban skips KPK summons

Personal note: Although no longer Forestry Minister, Kaban presided over logging of forests on a massive scale.

----------------------------------------

Kaban skips KPK summons

Sat, 11/21/2009 5:40 AM | National

Former forestry minister Malam Sambat Kaban did not meet the Corruption Eradication Commission’s (KPK) summons for questioning Friday.

The questioning is in connection with the alleged bribery to help Miranda S. Goeltom win the senior Bank Indonesia deputy governor post in 2004.

KPK spokesman Johan Budi said the questioning date clashed with Kaban’s meeting with his Crescent Star Party (PBB). Kaban will be ready for questioning Monday, Johan added.

KPK investigators had grilled Kaban several times in relation to the case. He was a member of the House of Representatives’ Commission IX on finance who held a vote to select the senior BI deputy governor five years ago.

The case revolved around the confession of former House Commission III member Agus Tjondro last year that he had received Rp 500 million (US$53,000) in traveler’s checks to vote for Miranda.

KPK has named four suspects in the case. Three are former House Commission III members Dudhie Makmun Murod, Endin Soefihara and Hamka Yandhu. The fourth is currently serving a jail term for his role in the misappropriation of BI funds.

North Sumatra forests in critical condition

North Sumatra forests in critical condition

Friday, November 20, 2009 21:46 WIB | Environment

Medan, North Sumatra (ANTARA News) - Of the 3.7 million hectares of forests in North Sumatra, some 30 percent are now in critical conditions as a result of deforestation, a forestry official said.

Head of North Sumatra`s Forestry Service JB Siringoringo said here on Friday that almost all districts in North Sumatra had damaged forest areas.

The forest areas were damaged due to illegal logging, forest fires, deforestation and forest degradation, he said.

"This condition needs our serious attention because otherwise damage to the forest areas in this province will continue to expand," he said.

He said that damage to forests would help contribute to the global warming and climate change which had become a major environmental problem to human beings.

"Our forests play a very important role in providing a means of carbon sinks," he said.(*)

http://www.antara.co.id/en/news/1258728406/north-sumatra-forests-in-critical-condition