Deforestation in Indonesia
Encyclopedia
Deforestation in Indonesia has been a massive environmental impact on the country
, home to some of the most biologically diverse
forests in the world, ranking third behind Brazil
and the Democratic Republic of Congo. As late as 1900, Indonesia was still a densely forested country with the total forest representing 84 per cent of the total land area. Deforestation intensified in the 1970s and continuously accelerated since then. As a result, the estimated forest cover of 170 million ha around 1900 decreased to 98 million ha by the end of the 20th century, at least half of which is believed to be degraded by human activity. At present rates, tropical rainforest
s in Indonesia would be logged out in 10 years.
Large areas of forest in Indonesia
are being lost as native forest is cleared by large multi-national pulp companies and being replaced by plantations. Forest are often burned by farmers and plantation owners. Another major source of deforestation is the logging industry, driven by demand from China and Japan. Agricultural development and transmigration program
s moved large populations into rainforest areas, further increasing deforestation rates.
Logging and the burning of forests to clear land for cultivation has made Indonesia, the world's third largest emitter of greenhouse gas
es, behind China and the United States. Forest fires often destroy high capacity carbon sinks, including old-growth rainforest and peatlands
. In May 2010 Indonesia declared a moratorium on new logging contracts to help combat this.
, making Indonesia the world's ninth largest pulp producer and eleventh largest paper producer.
The rate of deforestation continues to increase. The 2009 State Environment Report launched by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
revealed that the number of fire hotspots rose to 32,416 in 2009 from only 19,192 in 2008. The Environment Ministry blamed weak law enforcement and a lack of supervision from local authorities for the increase, with land clearance as the primary cause of the fires.
, and predicted to disappear within few years in Sumatra and Kalimantan.
In Sumatra
tens of thousands of square kilometres of forest have been cleared often under the command of the central government who comply with multi national companies to remove the forest. In Kalimantan
, between 1991 and 1999 large areas of the forest were burned because of uncontrollable fire causing atmospheric pollution
across South-East Asia.
, with a value in excess of $365 million. More recent estimates, comparing legal harvesting against known domestic consumption plus exports, suggest that 88% of logging in the country is illegal in some way. Malaysia is the key transit country for illegal wood products from Indonesia.
have included measures designed to monitor the progression of deforestation in Indonesia and incentivize national and local governments to halt it. The general term for these sorts of programs is Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation
(REDD). New systems to monitor deforestation are being applied to Indonesia. One such system, the Center for Global Development
's Forest Monitoring for Action platform currently displays monthly-updating data on deforestation throughout Indonesia.
On 26 May 2010 Indonesia signed a letter of intent with Norway
, to place a two-year moratorium
on new logging concessions, part of a deal in which Indonesia will receive up to $US1 billion if it adheres to its commitment. The accord is expected to put curbs on Indonesia's palm oil
industry and delay or slow plans for the creation of a huge agricultural estate in Papua province. Funds will initially be devoted to finalizing Indonesia’s climate and forest strategy, building and institutionalizing capacity to monitor, report and verify reduced emissions, and putting in place enabling policies and institutional reforms. Norway is going to help Indonesia to set up a system to help reduce corruption so that the deal can be enforced.
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, home to some of the most biologically diverse
Biodiversity
Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity is in part a function of climate. In terrestrial habitats, tropical regions are typically rich whereas polar regions...
forests in the world, ranking third behind Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
and the Democratic Republic of Congo. As late as 1900, Indonesia was still a densely forested country with the total forest representing 84 per cent of the total land area. Deforestation intensified in the 1970s and continuously accelerated since then. As a result, the estimated forest cover of 170 million ha around 1900 decreased to 98 million ha by the end of the 20th century, at least half of which is believed to be degraded by human activity. At present rates, tropical rainforest
Tropical rainforest
A tropical rainforest is an ecosystem type that occurs roughly within the latitudes 28 degrees north or south of the equator . This ecosystem experiences high average temperatures and a significant amount of rainfall...
s in Indonesia would be logged out in 10 years.
Large areas of forest in Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
are being lost as native forest is cleared by large multi-national pulp companies and being replaced by plantations. Forest are often burned by farmers and plantation owners. Another major source of deforestation is the logging industry, driven by demand from China and Japan. Agricultural development and transmigration program
Transmigration program
The transmigration program was an initiative of the Dutch colonial government, and later continued by Indonesian government to move landless people from densely populated areas of Indonesia to less populous areas of the country...
s moved large populations into rainforest areas, further increasing deforestation rates.
Logging and the burning of forests to clear land for cultivation has made Indonesia, the world's third largest emitter of greenhouse gas
Greenhouse gas
A greenhouse gas is a gas in an atmosphere that absorbs and emits radiation within the thermal infrared range. This process is the fundamental cause of the greenhouse effect. The primary greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere are water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone...
es, behind China and the United States. Forest fires often destroy high capacity carbon sinks, including old-growth rainforest and peatlands
Peat swamp forest
Peat swamp forests are tropical moist forests where waterlogged soils prevent dead leaves and wood from fully decomposing, which over time creates a thick layer of acidic peat...
. In May 2010 Indonesia declared a moratorium on new logging contracts to help combat this.
History
The Indonesian archipelago of about 17,000 islands is home to some of the most biodiverse forests in the world. As of 1900 the total forest represented 84% of the total land area. By 1950 plantations and smallholder plantings of tree crops still only covered a small area. The forest cover by that time is estimated to 145 million ha of primary forest and another 14 million ha of secondary and tidal forest. In the early 1970s Indonesia used this valuable resource to its economic benefit with the development of the country's wood-processing industries. From the late 1980s to 2000, production capacity has increased nearly 700% in the pulp and paper industriesPulp and paper industry
The global pulp and paper industry is dominated by North American , northern European and East Asian countries...
, making Indonesia the world's ninth largest pulp producer and eleventh largest paper producer.
The rate of deforestation continues to increase. The 2009 State Environment Report launched by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono AC , is an Indonesian politician and retired Army general officer who has been President of Indonesia since 2004....
revealed that the number of fire hotspots rose to 32,416 in 2009 from only 19,192 in 2008. The Environment Ministry blamed weak law enforcement and a lack of supervision from local authorities for the increase, with land clearance as the primary cause of the fires.
Affected regions
Indonesia’s lowland tropical forests, the richest in timber resources and biodiversity, are most at risk. By 2000 they have been almost entirely cleared in SulawesiSulawesi
Sulawesi is one of the four larger Sunda Islands of Indonesia and is situated between Borneo and the Maluku Islands. In Indonesia, only Sumatra, Borneo, and Papua are larger in territory, and only Java and Sumatra have larger Indonesian populations.- Etymology :The Portuguese were the first to...
, and predicted to disappear within few years in Sumatra and Kalimantan.
In Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
tens of thousands of square kilometres of forest have been cleared often under the command of the central government who comply with multi national companies to remove the forest. In Kalimantan
Kalimantan
In English, the term Kalimantan refers to the Indonesian portion of the island of Borneo, while in Indonesian, the term "Kalimantan" refers to the whole island of Borneo....
, between 1991 and 1999 large areas of the forest were burned because of uncontrollable fire causing atmospheric pollution
Pollution
Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into a natural environment that causes instability, disorder, harm or discomfort to the ecosystem i.e. physical systems or living organisms. Pollution can take the form of chemical substances or energy, such as noise, heat or light...
across South-East Asia.
Logging
A joint UK-Indonesian study of the timber industry in Indonesia in 1998 suggested that about 40% of throughput was illegalIllegal logging
Illegal logging is the harvest, transportation, purchase or sale of timber in violation of laws. The harvesting procedure itself may be illegal, including using corrupt means to gain access to forests; extraction without permission or from a protected area; the cutting of protected species; or the...
, with a value in excess of $365 million. More recent estimates, comparing legal harvesting against known domestic consumption plus exports, suggest that 88% of logging in the country is illegal in some way. Malaysia is the key transit country for illegal wood products from Indonesia.
Conservation efforts
Efforts to curb global climate changeClimate change
Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
have included measures designed to monitor the progression of deforestation in Indonesia and incentivize national and local governments to halt it. The general term for these sorts of programs is Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation
Redd
Redd is a Turkish rock band established in 1996 by tenor opera singer Doğan Duru and guitarist Berke Hatipoğlu under the name Ten. They used to play at bars until they set up their own studio in 2004. Their first album, entitled "50/50", produced by Levent Büyük was published a year later by...
(REDD). New systems to monitor deforestation are being applied to Indonesia. One such system, the Center for Global Development
Center for Global Development
The Center for Global Development is a non-profit think tank based in Washington, D.C. that focuses on international development. It was founded in November 2001 by former senior U.S. official Edward W. Scott, director of the Peterson Institute for International Economics, C. Fred Bergsten, and...
's Forest Monitoring for Action platform currently displays monthly-updating data on deforestation throughout Indonesia.
On 26 May 2010 Indonesia signed a letter of intent with Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, to place a two-year moratorium
Moratorium (law)
A moratorium is a delay or suspension of an activity or a law. In a legal context, it may refer to the temporary suspension of a law to allow a legal challenge to be carried out....
on new logging concessions, part of a deal in which Indonesia will receive up to $US1 billion if it adheres to its commitment. The accord is expected to put curbs on Indonesia's palm oil
Palm oil
Palm oil, coconut oil and palm kernel oil are edible plant oils derived from the fruits of palm trees. Palm oil is extracted from the pulp of the fruit of the oil palm Elaeis guineensis; palm kernel oil is derived from the kernel of the oil palm and coconut oil is derived from the kernel of the...
industry and delay or slow plans for the creation of a huge agricultural estate in Papua province. Funds will initially be devoted to finalizing Indonesia’s climate and forest strategy, building and institutionalizing capacity to monitor, report and verify reduced emissions, and putting in place enabling policies and institutional reforms. Norway is going to help Indonesia to set up a system to help reduce corruption so that the deal can be enforced.
See also
- Deforestation in BorneoDeforestation in BorneoBorneo, the third largest island in the world, divided between Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei, was once covered with dense rainforests, but along with its tropical lowland and highland forests, there has been extensive deforestation in the past sixty years. In the 1980s and 1990s the forests of...
- Environmental issues in IndonesiaEnvironmental issues in IndonesiaEnvironmental issues in Indonesia are associated with the country's high population and rapid industrialisation, and they are often given a lower priority due to high poverty levels and weak, under-resourced governance...
- The Burning SeasonThe Burning Season (2008 film)The Burning Season is a documentary about the burning of rainforests in Indonesia which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2008. The main characters featured in the film are: Dorjee Sun from Australia; Achmadi, a small-scale palm oil farmer from Jambi province in Indonesia; and Lone Drøscher...
External links
- Forest Monitoring for Action (FORMA) - Frequently updated online map of forest clearing in Indonesia