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http://www.mixbook.com/photo-books/nature/an-orangutan-s-story-4214657

In the last decade, Asian farmers have cleared tens of thousands of square miles of forests to accommodate the world’s growing demand for palm oil, an increasingly popular food ingredient. Ancient peatlands have been drained and lush tropical forests have been cut down. As a result, the landscape of equatorial Asia now lies vulnerable to fires, which are growing more frequent and having a serious impact on the air as well as the land.

A team of NASA-sponsored researchers have used satellites to make the first series of estimates of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted from these fires — both wildfires and fires started by people — in Malaysia, Indonesia, Borneo, and Papua New Guinea. They are now working to understand how climate influences the spread and intensity of the fires.

Using data from a carbon-detecting NASA satellite and computer models, the researchers found that seasonal fires from 2000 to 2006 doubled the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) released from the Earth to the atmosphere above the region. The scientists also observed through satellite remote sensing that fires in regional peatlands and forests burned longer and emitted ten times more carbon when rainfall declined by one third the normal amount. The results were presented in December 2008 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Tropical Asian fires first grabbed the attention of government officials, media, and conservationists in 1997, when fires set to clear land for palm oil and rice plantations burned out of control. The fires turned wild and spread to dry, flammable peatlands during one of the region’s driest seasons on record. By the time the flames subsided in early 1998, emissions from the fires had reached 40 percent of the global carbon emissions for the period.

“In this region, decision makers are facing a dichotomy of demands, as expanding commercial crop production is competing with efforts to ease the environmental impact of fires,” said Jim Collatz, an Earth scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., and a co-author of the study. “The science is telling us that we need strategies to reduce the occurrence of deforestation fires and peatlands wildfires. Without some new strategies, emissions from the region could rise substantially in a drier, warmer future.”

Since the 1997 event, the region has been hit by two major dry spells and a steady upswing in fires, threatening biodiversity and air quality and contributing to the buildup of CO2 in the atmosphere. As more CO2 is emitted, the global atmosphere traps more heat near Earth’s surface, leading to more drying and more fires.

Until recently, scientists knew little about what drives changes in how fires spread and how long they burn. Collatz, along with lead author Guido van der Werf of Vrije University, Amsterdam, and other colleagues sought to estimate the emissions since the devastating 1997-98 fires and to analyze the interplay between the fires and drought.

They used the carbon monoxide detecting Measurements of Pollution in the Troposphere (MOPITT) instrument on NASA’s Terra satellite — as well as 1997-2006 fire data and research computer models — to screen for and differentiate between carbon emissions from deforestation versus general emissions. Carbon monoxide is a good indicator of the occurrence of fire, and the amounts of carbon monoxide in fire emissions are related to the amount of carbon dioxide. They also compared the emissions from different types of plant life (peat land vs. typical forest) by examining changes in land cover and land use as viewed by Terra’s Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectradiometer (MODIS) and by Landsat 7.

Collatz explained that two climate phenomena drive regional drought. El Niño’s warm waters in the Eastern Pacific change weather patterns around the world every few years and cause cooler water temperatures in the western Pacific near equatorial Asia that suppress the convection necessary for rainfall. Previously, scientists have used measurements from NASA’s Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission satellite to correlate rainfall with carbon losses and burned land data, finding that wildfire emissions rose during dry El Niño seasons. The Indian Ocean dipole phenomenon affects climate in the Indian Ocean region with oscillating ocean temperatures characterized by warmer waters merging with colder waters to inhibit rainfall over Indonesia, Borneo, and their neighbors.

“This link between drought and emissions should be of concern to all of us,” said co-author Ruth DeFries, an ecologist at Columbia University in New York. “If drought becomes more frequent with climate change, we can expect more fires.”

Collatz, DeFries, and their colleagues found that between 2000 and 2006, the average carbon dioxide emissions from equatorial Asia accounted for about 2 percent of global fossil fuel emissions and 3 percent of the global increase in atmospheric CO2. But during moderate El Niño years in 2002 and 2006, when dry season rainfall was half of normal, fire emissions rose by a factor of 10. During the severe El Niño of 1997-1998, fire emissions from this region comprised 15 percent of global fossil fuel emissions and 31 percent of the global atmospheric increase over that period.

“This study not only updates our measurements of carbon losses from these fires, but also highlights an increasingly important factor driving change in equatorial Asia,” explained DeFries. “In this part of Asia, human-ignited forest and peat fires are emitting excessive carbon into the atmosphere. In climate-sensitive areas like Borneo, human response to drought is a new dynamic affecting feedbacks between climate and the carbon cycle.”

In addition to climate influences, human activities contribute to the growing fire emissions. Palm oil is increasingly grown for use as a cooking oil and biofuel, while also replacing trans fats in processed foods. It has become the most widely produced edible oil in the world, and production has swelled in recent years to surpass that of soybean oil. More than 30 million metric tons of palm oil are produced in Malaysia and Indonesia alone, and the two countries now supply more than 85 percent of global demand.

The environmental effects of such growth have been significant. Land has to be cleared to grow the crop, and the preferred method is fire. The clearing often occurs in drained peatlands that are otherwise swampy forests where the remains of past plant life have been submerged for centuries in as much as 60 feet of water. Peat material in Borneo, for example, stores the equivalent of about nine years worth of global fossil fuel emissions.

“Indonesia has become the third largest greenhouse gas emitter after the United States and China, due primarily to these fire emissions,” Collatz said. “With an extended dry season, the peat surface dries out, catches fire, and the lack of rainfall can keep the fires going for months.”

Besides emitting carbon, the agricultural fires and related wildfires also ravage delicate ecosystems in conservation hotspots like the western Pacific island of Borneo, home to more than 15,000 species of plants, 240 species of trees, and an abundance of endangered animals.

Smoke and other fire emissions also regularly taint regional air quality to such a degree that officials have to close schools and airports out of concern for public health and safety. Peat fires also aggravate air pollution problems in this region because they release four times more carbon monoxide than forest fires. In 1997, air pollution from the fires cost the region an estimated $4.5 billion in tourism and business.

Source: http://www.scienceblog.com/cms/nasa-study-says-climate-adds-fuel-asian-wildfire-emissions-20759.html

By Niluksi Koswanage and Aloysius Bhui

KUALA LUMPUR/JAKARTA, April 29 (Reuters) – Growing economic pain may increasingly force consumers to turn to palm oil, one of the cheapest cooking oils, a move that could scupper nascent plans to slow deforestation in Southeast Asia.

With rising output in Indonesia, the world’s biggest palm oil producer and home to the eighth largest expanse of forests, and tight land supplies in Malaysia, the world’s second largest supplier, conservation’s economics look even less appealing.

Under a United Nations scheme to slow deforestation, countries that preserve forests could be paid up to $2,077.50 per hectare, but that compares with the $4,826.11 per hectare that could be earned at current prices on a well-managed palm estate, Reuters calculations showed.

The UN plan, called the Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD), was supposed to allow investors to buy carbon credits and bring in $10 billion to $30 billion yearly to over 60 developing nations with forests.

“REDD has no chance. Malaysian palm oil yields are high and better estate management is key,” said an official with a listed Malaysian planter with holdings in Indonesia as well as Malaysia, who declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the issue.

“Even in Indonesia, which many thought would revert back to keeping forests, yields are going up and above the usual 3-4 tonnes because Malaysians are buying up these estates and Indonesian companies are developing very fast,” he said.

For a related factbox on REDD, see [ID:nSP409319]

Last month, environmental lobby group Greenpeace accused Indonesian planter Sinar Mas (SMAR.JK) of cutting down virgin forest, sparking an angry denial from the company.

Even companies that use degraded farm land say that the economics of palm and growing demand mean that there is simply no choice but to expand.

“It’s hard to resist expansion when (palm oil) prices go up,” said Velayuthan Tan, chief executive of Malaysia-listed IJM Plantations (IJMP.KL), which bought land in Indonesia last week.

“It would be suicide to buy up and clear forests so we bought some degraded agriculture land in Sumatra (island),” he said.

STILL PROFITABLE

Current palm prices of 2,464 Malaysian ringgit ($686) a tonne, although still way below their $1,239 record peak hit in 2008, are 77 percent more than the costs involved in setting up a new palm oil estate.

This means planters can quickly recoup their initial outlay of $22,000 per hectare that officials in Malaysia and Indonesia say is needed to clear forests, grow oil palms and put up mills once the palms have matured three years from planting.

REDD credits are only traded on the Chicago Climate Exchange (www.chicagoclimatex.com) where prices of $1.50 per tonne of CO2 are at a more than 80 percent discount to benchmark European carbon prices of 13.61 euros ($17.74) CFI2Z9.

“Demand for REDD credits today is on a voluntary or speculative basis,” said Suzanne Chew, senior broker with Singapore-based emissions trading firm TFS Green.

“In general the regulatory and project risks involved are higher compared to credits from approved methodologies under the Kyoto Protocol, that’s why there’s a significant discount in the price,” she said.

For a graphic on palm oil and REDD earnings from a hectare of land, click here

CONVERTING FORESTS “BY DESIGN”

Indonesia has defended forest clearing for palm oil, saying high conservation value forests are being left alone as it prepares to boost oil palm estates by 125 percent to 18 million hectares (45 million acres) by opening up more forests.

“If we convert forests, it is something by design,” said Achma Mangga Barani, plantations director-general at the agriculture ministry, although he did not give a time frame for the palm planting.

So far, despite promises, Indonesia’s decree on implementing REDD is still at the draft stage and focuses only on how the government can benefit from carbon investment, says Greenpeace.

“The draft decree just does not explain how to stop deforestation,” said Bustar Maitar, team leader of Greenpeace Southeast Asia’s forest campaign.

Indonesia has 88 million hectares of forests and recorded the second biggest net loss of forest cover during 2000-2005 at 1.5 million hectares annually, 2005 data from the Food and Agriculture Organisation showed.

Palm-driven deforestation has accelerated as Indonesia’s planters and foreign firms rushed to increase estates during a two-year price rally from 2007, more than doubling the expansion rate to 1 million hectares a year from the 400,000 hectares norm.

For a graphic on Indonesian and Malaysian palm expansion, click on: here

ILLEGAL OIL PALMS

Malaysia has 100,000 hectares left for expanding palm oil plantations without touching forest to add to existing 4.5 million hectares under oil palms.

Even so, wildlife officials say that there is significant illegal encroachment into Malaysia’s 14.3 million hectares of forests.

Much of this happens in Sabah state on Borneo island, the country’s top palm oil producing region with large tracts of pristine forests where officials say that small palm companies have illegally cut down trees.

That process might now accelerate as people lose their jobs as the global economy slows.

“The recession is a worry. Companies might shift priorities to saving themselves first. There could be less interest in carbon credits, conservation schemes and reforestation plans that we have in place,” said Sam Mannan, director of the forestry department in Sabah.

It is less than clear how the billions of dollars under REDD could trickle down to poor people who have few economic alternatives than to try and clear a small patch of jungle to feed and house their families.

“God has given us ample land and oil palms and we should make use of it,” said Munir, an Indonesian worker in a plantation in central Malaysia who wants to use his savings to set up a small estate in his hometown in Kalimantan on Borneo island.

“I am suspicious of this (forest saving) scheme. I don’t think I will see the money from it. It is more honest to work the land on your own and the government in Indonesia encourages us,” said Munir, who goes by one name like many Indonesians. ($1=.7674 Euro) ($1=3.595 Malaysian Ringgit) (Additional reporting by Ed Davies; Editing by David Chance and Sambit Mohanty)

http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSKLR460422

Simunjan natives ink deal to turn land into oil palm plantation

KUCHING – One-thousand-five-hundred native customary rights landowners in Simunjan (SARAWAK), in the Samarahan division, yesterday committed their land, totalling over 9,600 ha, to be developed into an oil palm plantation.

This will be done in a joint venture with the state land development agency, Pelita Holdings Sdn Bhd, and plantation company, DD Plantations Sdn Bhd.

The state government is throwing in 5,000ha of state land to give the plantation at Kepayang-Semalatong area in Simunjan a total of 14,000ha.

Debunking the widespread claim that such a deal is a precursor to a land grab by the government, these NCR landowners put pen to paper to seal the joint venture at a brief ceremony here.

Pelita chief executive officer Abdullah Chek Sahamat signed on Pelita’s and their behalf while DD Plantation’s managing director Yee Ming Seng signed on behalf of the plantation firm.

Pelita has been designated the NCR landowners’ “managing agent”.
In the agreement, a joint venture company would be formed where the landowners would hold a 30 percent stake, DD Plantations the majority 60 percent and Pelita the remaining 10 percent.

The joint venture yesterday was the 26th such deals the government had worked out between NCR landowners and private sector firms to develop idle native land in the state.

Abdullah said when 23 similar joint ventures currently being worked out are all sealed, 250,000 ha of NCR land would have been committed to the planting of oil palm.

He said to date, 46,000ha of NCR had already been developed in 25 joint ventures.

DD Plantations, formerly known as Good Solid Corporation Sdn Bhd, was picked for this venture due to its experience in similar venture worked out by Pelita.

The joint ventures are in Sebungan and Sebauh Genaan in Bintulu totalling 23,000ha.

7,500ha in Sebauh Genaan had already been planted.

DD Plantations have also been given permits to open up state land for oil palm plantation in nearby Gedong and Sadong.

The Gedong and Sadong estates have both been pioneer state land project joint ventures with Pelita.

The mill it operated there has a capacity of processing 60 metric tons of CPO per hour.

Yee said the company would invest RM140 million to develop the Kepayang-Semalatong plantation.

He said land clearing would start in July and planting at the same time next year.

The 1,500 landowners are from 46 longhouses.

http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Wednesday/NewsBreak/20090429163014/Article/index_html

Sir David Attenborough has called for greater protection for the wild habitat of orangutans amid fears “emotional” television programmes about rescued apes have failed to raise awareness of the need to protect the rainforests where the animals live.

By Louise Gray, Environment Correspondent

Programmes like the BBC’s Orangutan Diary, following the lives of orphaned and rescued orangutans at a refuge centre in Borneo, have recently raised awareness of rehabilitation schemes helping the great ape be reintroduced into the wild.

However conservationists argue the money would be better spent protecting the rainforests where the orangutans live.

Even if the animals are rescued many do not survive in the wild and can even spread disease in the existing population.

At a debate at the Linnaean Society of London, conservationists will argue over the best way to save the orangutan. The great ape, which is one of man’s closest evolutionary cousins, could be extinct in ten years largely due deforestation because of demand for palm oil and timber in Indonesia.

Programmes like Orangutan Diary has followed orphans rescued from traders, who can fetch a high price for the animals as pets or for use in entertainment.

However John Burton, Chief Executive of the World Land Trust, said such series risks sentimentalising the issue.

“Orangutan Diaries has raised public awareness but the negative effects is that it makes people think having cuddly baby orangutans in captivity is a way of conserving them.

“It is very, very emotional. I do not have a problem with that, but it is a welfare issue; it has no mainstream value to conservation.”

Mr Burton pointed out that by 2020 there will be so few animals in the wild, the population in the rainforest will no longer be viable.

“There is something like 1,000 orangutans in captivity on the island of Borneo alone and 200 are being kept in zoos but there is nowhere for them in the wild. We need to distinguish between welfare and conservation. Keeping them in captivity is welfare because people to do not want to see them die, but it is not conservation.”

Even if you rescue the orangutans, he argued they are at risk of spreading infection in the wild population and argued that the money would be much better spent buying land for orangutans to be protected in the wild.

“Millions of pounds are being spent on maintaining orangutans in captivity. If the same amount of money was spent on protecting the wild ones, it would be much better spent.”

Sir David said the protection of the rainforests must run alongside any rehabilitation.

He said: “Every bit of the rainforest that is knocked down is less space for orangutans. They have been reduced very seriously in the past decade, and we must do all we can to reverse this devastation. I fully support World Land Trust in its bid to save this important land!”

Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/5241749/Sir-David-Attenborough-calls-for-more-protection-for-orang-utans.html