Indonesian Forest Fires a Global Menace

By Barrie | July 16th, 2007 | No Comments

Greenpeace challenged the Indonesian government to immediately declare a moratorium on the conversion and destruction of peat land forests to put a stop to the country`s annual cycle of forest fires, which has now become a global menace given its significant contributions to the problem of climate change.

A team dispatched by Greenpeace to Riau recently witnessed forest fires flaring up yet again in the province despite frequent government pledges to stop the annual catastrophe from recurring, a press statement from Greenpeace said.

Indonesia is currently the third largest emitter of greenhouse gases worldwide trailing only China and the US, and this is mainly due to deforestation, land conversion and forest fires.

“The endless cycle of forest fires and forest destruction in Indonesia must now be seen as a global problem because our country contributes a lot to climate change. Beyond the frequent lip service and rhetoric coming from officials whenever these fires flare up, he government must take bolder measures to prevent the problem from taking place, starting with a moratorium on the destruction and conversion of peat land forest areas all over the country,” said Hapsoro, Forest Campaigner of Greenpeace Southeast Asia.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has put Indonesia on the global spotlight when it said that about 50 percent of the world`s total mitigation potential could be achieved by reducing emissions from deforestation. Indonesia has the largest intact ancient forest in Asia, but these are being destroyed faster than anywhere else on the planet, Greenpeace said.

Indonesia will host an international meeting on climate change in Bali in December 2007.

“We hope that the government will take this opportunity to showcase to the world how it can help avert this global crisis. Aside from seeking the support of the international community, the government must show good faith by stopping the further destruction of peat land forests. It must strictly enforce laws against violators including oil palm companies and plantations which deliberately start these fires as part of their land clearing operations,” Hapsoro said as the article in the Antara News explained.