By Chris Tobias
Read more at the source: Matter Network

This weeks CSR-Asia conference in Kuala Lumpur touched on several critical issues for the region. One contentious topic is palm oil. While organizations, like the WWF lauded Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), might have tried to add legitimacy to the notion that palm oil can be cultivated in a sustainable manner, reality reveals problems on both social and environmental grounds.

For instance, one of Malaysia’s largest palm oil companies and member of the RSPO, Sime Darby, recently gained concessions in Indonesia and Liberia to develop plantations on hundreds of thousands of hectares of existing forest land. This means that yet more insidiously named “forest conversion” projects will occur.

Old growth forests with all their biodiversity, native cultures, and other economic opportunities (medicine, eco-tourism, etc.) will effectively be obliterated to make way for mono-crop plantations. One has to wonder what would happen if some disease or insect pest were to afflict this mono-crop that is quickly becoming the livelihood for many. Perhaps the lessons of the pine borer beetle in North America have not been shared elsewhere.

Palm oil is a highly valuable commodity used in making food, hygiene, and biofuel products. Merely weighing the commercial value of these products and the carbon sequestration value of the plantations is missing the point. Any allegedly sustainable land use strategy should not favor the destruction of large swaths of high conservation value forests.

While the language around conservation is better understood and nailed down in other industries, such as agro-forestry and the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) program, the RSPO’s guidelines are much more loosely worded, allowing less scrupulous members such as Sime Darby room for how they define “high conservation value” forests. The RSPO and Sime Darby both have some explaining to do in their November Roundtable meeting.

It’s not just forests that are at stake, but also the native peoples inhabiting those lands. Dr. Marcus Colchester of the Forest Peoples Program delved into the complexity of the issue, using Indonesia as one extremely difficult example. In Indonesia, land titles significantly lack the structure of government oversight.

Land rights are not clearly defined in the country, and in many areas, traditional customary rights (e.g. land that has been inhabited by native forest peoples for generations, but not formally demarcated) are not always recognized.

Now into this blurry situation come palm oil companies, amongst other industries. While some companies act with some amount of integrity to engage with local communities around development opportunities and work with free prior informed consent (FPIC) guidelines set forth by the UN, others keenly exploit this grey area and the naivety of locals.

Andrew Ng, of Malaysia Nature Society said, “Sime Darby has a substantial number of on-going cases of social conflict in both Sarawak and Kalimantan. Though some of them were ‘inherited’ when they took over two other companies to become the largest company, they have not demonstrated leadership on addressing conflicts as would be expected from the self-claimed ‘sustainability leader’. In fact, their track-record in plantations and social conflicts makes the tag-line ironic humor.”

Some companies have bribed local officials or tribal leaders to essentially evict people from their own land. According to Dr. Colchester, these human rights abuses have lead to some 526 palm oil conflicts up to January 2009. Some of these clashes have been armed conflicts, with government troops being called in to squash resistance.

Needless to say, more ethical companies know abusing human rights is not only bad practice, but the negative publicity is also bad business. Simon Siburat, sustainability co-ordinator for Wilmar International , a major industry player, has gone to great lengths to engage communities in areas it intents for palm oil development. It negotiates with the many groups concerned, involves their leadership at different levels, and allows for self-determination of the outcome. Effectively, if the people decide not to sell up, the company moves on to other areas and approaches other groups.

While the Wilmar International presentation seemed thorough of their practices with communities, interesting questions were raised in regards to the land use and “forest conversion.” Mr. Siburat indicated that much of their development took place on denuded land, including some of the millions of hectares destroyed by 1997 fires that raged across Indonesia.

The images however revealed thousands of straight lines of palm trees giving way to the occasional patch of what appeared to be fairly established forest and mature canopies, perhaps still inhabited by native owners who had not sold out. One is left wondering if all is as clear on this topic as Mr. Siburat suggests. Still, compared to many other players, Wilmar International deserves some points for transparency on at least some of its practices.

All things considered, it looks as if any notion of “sustainable” palm oil deserves some serious rethink in light of these issues, lest yet another industry try to sweep these inherent problems under the rug.

Learn more about the Challenge.

See the previous update.

Progress is going well. Lots of people are coming out in support, little bits but they all help out. Pongo is getting lots of attention on the back of our bags which is the best thing about this! We will be the first to have done such a crazy challenge when all is done and dusted, and Miki may even be the first in the world to have walked so far on stilts for a woman.

October 30, 2009
Source: LA Times

The National Zoo in Washington, like many other zoos around the country, is helping its animal residents celebrate Halloween with treats (healthy ones, like pumpkins — no bite-size Snickers bars here) and special Halloween-themed enrichment activities.

This orangutan is seated on one of the zoo’s newest pieces of equipment, a specially-made cargo net constructed from fire hoses. Zoo staff report that the orangs took quickly to their new “furniture,” playing, climbing, or just plain relaxing on it. (Keepers also utilize the net in enrichment activities for the apes, hanging toys and puzzle feeders from it.)

– Lindsay Barnett

Photos: Matthew Cavanaugh / European Pressphoto Agency

PHILADELPHIA – The Philadelphia Zoo says “Phans” are invited to enjoy America’s “Phirst” Zoo the day immediately following a Phillies World Series victory when they bring an item to be donated to a local animal shelter.

For suggested items, visit the zoo’s Web site: http://www.philadelphiazoo.org/

Sugi, the Zoo’s male orangutan, will also show his support of the Phillies by destroying Yankees props.

For “Phree Day” all kids under the age of 15 must be accompanied by an adult.

###

Disclaimer: Orangutan Outreach is geographically biased in favor of the Yankees, but in the off-chance that the Phillies do manage to beat them, at least something good will come of it for local animals! {:(|}

Daniel Kessler
Greenpeace Press Officer
Posted: October 28, 2009 11:33 PM
Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/daniel-kessler/indonesias-rainforests-an_b_337920.htmlRead more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/daniel-kessler/

I’m on the ground in Sumatra at Greenpeace’s Climate Defenders Camp. We’re here to let world leaders know that this is ground zero for deforestation and if immediate action isn’t taken to end the destruction of our rainforests, climate catastrophe is all but assured.

Southeast Asia is the region most exposed to and least prepared for the impacts of climate change, according to the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The ADB warns that the poor – and especially women – are the most vulnerable. Approximately 2.2 billion Asians are subsistence farmers; they are already experiencing falling crop yields caused by floods, droughts, erratic rainfall and other climate change impacts.

As well as supporting biodiversity and forest-dwelling communities, forests and their soils are huge carbon stores; they contain nearly 300 billion tones of carbon. That is 40 times more carbon than we currently emit to the atmosphere every year.

Tropical forest destruction accounts for about a fifth of global greenhouse gas emissions, more than all the world’s trains, planes and cars put together. Therefore, we can only avert a climate crisis if world leaders commit to deep and binding cuts in global greenhouse gas emissions from both fossil fuels and deforestation at the UN Climate Summit in Copenhagen.

Globally, more than one million hectares of forest, mostly tropical rainforest, is destroyed every month – that is an area of forest the size of a football pitch every two seconds.

Destruction and degradation of forests drives climate change in two ways. First, the clearing and burning of forests releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and second, the area of forest that absorbs carbon dioxide is reduced. Their role in regulating the climate is so crucial that if we destroy the last tropical forests, we will likely lose the battle against climate change.

INDONESIA’S RAINFORESTS AND PEATLANDS


On the ground, it’s easy to see the massive destruction that has taken place here. A drive through the Kampar Peninsula reveals hectare after hectare of forest conversion from healthy rainforest to palm oil plantations. There is no sign of animal life or biodiversity–just row after row of palm. The roads are congested with trucks carrying out palm kernels and the sky is filled with the smoke from hundreds of fires set to clear the land for planting.

Indonesia is a stark example of the need for a robust plan and the provision of international funds to protect tropical forests. According to the latest available figures, it has one of the fastest rates of deforestation. This emits so much CO2 that Indonesia is the third largest climate polluter, after China and the US.

The reason these emissions are so high is twofold. It is caused by the rapid rate of deforestation, and the drainage and burning of the carbon rich peat soil the forests grow on. Deforestation of tropical forests is driven by global demand for products like paper, and palm oil which is used in toothpaste, chocolate and as a biofuel. Since 1950, over 74 million hectares of Indonesia’s rainforests have been destroyed completely and others have been seriously degraded.

In a recent report, the Indonesian Government identified the oil palm, pulp and paper, agriculture and logging industries as those primarily responsible for draining peat, for destroying its forests and for causing the country’s enormous CO2 emissions. It predicts that, unless action is taken, these emissions will continue to increase.1 However, the government continues to hand out the concessions that allow these companies to destroy the remaining rainforest.

The Indonesian government has laws to protect some of these carbon-rich peat areas but it fails to enforce the law and even continues to grant permits to companies to destroy them. Under Indonesian law, it is prohibited to develop or clear the forest and to drain any peat if it is deeper than three metres.2 Over 80% of Kampar’s peat is deeper than that, 3 but companies are still granted licences to destroy its forests and peatlands. Only 10% of the peatlands that remain intact are officially “protected”. The remaining 90% is under immediate threat, encircled by encroaching pulp and paper companies.4 They have been allocated for conversion in spite of the law.

THE COPENHAGEN SOLUTION

International governments give companies that are destroying the rainforest here an incentive to keep up business as usual and drive climate change by allowing imports of paper and palm oil products that come from forest destruction.

With the UN Copenhagen Climate Summit just around the corner, the Heads of State of developed countries must show real leadership and secure a robust climate deal in December that includes a global funding mechanism that will transfer $42 billion annually from industrialized countries to poor forested countries like Indonesia, Congo and Brazil, with the aim of ending deforestation by 2020. Such a deal must deliver substantial emissions reductions from deforestation as well as protect wildlife and respect the rights of forest dwelling people. It must also ensure that money does not end up in the hands of those responsible for forest destruction, like those in the logging industry.

Greenpeace is also calling on Indonesia’s President Yudhoyono to commit to zero deforestation by 2015 in Indonesia and to implement an immediate moratorium on the destruction of forests and peatlands to give the climate some breathing space while the forest protection plans in put into action.

President Obama can do his part by coming to Copenhagen to attend the negotiations himself and help push other world leaders to commit to funding solutions to end deforestation. Obama must show leadership now by pushing Congress to pass legislation that will cap our emissions to the levels scientists say is safe and that will help pay for a global funding mechanism for forests. The bills in Congress are too weak and the international talks are veering of course. Now is the time for action from President Obama.

Visit the Brookfield Zoo website

Chicago, Illinois – The Brookfield Zoo is offering visitors the chance to learn more about their primate counterparts at International Orangutan Awareness Weekend.

The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 14 and 15 in the Asia section of the Tropic World exhibit.

Participants will learn about the drastically dwindling international orangutan population, and what they can do to make a difference.

Kekasih, an orangutan who celebrated her first birthday Oct. 6, will be showcased along with her mom, Sophia, 28, father, Ben, 31, and brother, Denda, 7.

At Tropic World, there will be craft activities for children, produce trays to show what orangutans at the zoo eat, and Zoo Chats about orangutans, which will be held each day at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

The weekend will focus on the heavily decreasing orangutan population. The zoo says research shows that orangutans will be extinct in the wild by 2025 due to loggers destroying their natural habitat — the rain forest islands of Sumatra and Borneo — poaching, and the illegal pet trade.

Orangutan Awareness Weekend is free to attend with admission. Admission is $12 for adults and $8 for children ages 3-11 and seniors 65 and older.

Source: http://www.mysuburbanlife.com/brookfield/newsnow/x1914252600/Patrons-can-come-monkey-around-at-the-zoo

By Niluksi Koswanage

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 27 (Reuters) – The palm oil industry confronts critics and consumers in a meeting next week in Malaysia as it looks to beef up green standards that already include commitments to preserve rainforests and wildlife.

The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), whose members include buyers and NGOs, wants to discuss standards on greenhouse gas savings that palm oil should achieve before the Copenhagen climate change talks in December.

But with European firms reluctant to take up pricier palm oil certified under RSPO and a longstanding tussle between environment groups and the palm oil industry over its green credentials, the meeting may fall apart, observers say.

Here are some questions and answers on the issues that will be raised during the RSPO meeting, the seventh since 2001:

WHAT’S THE ISSUE WITH CO2 EMISSIONS?

Palm oil producers have been at loggerheads with green groups over how the tropical oil’s impact on the environment should be calculated as they try to counter criticism that the industry fuels climate change.

Planters in top producers Indonesia and Malaysia say that oil palm estates can act as a carbon sink and that a major CO2 saving can come from capturing methane, a powerful greenhouse gas emitted during processing.

Environmentalists say any expansion of plantations should be stopped as chopping down and burning rainforests produces the most emissions in the life cycle of oil palm estates.

Both groups agree that expanding into carbon-rich peatland forests found mostly in Indonesia are a no-go, a rare consensus that may help them to hammer out an agreement for an industry standard on palm oil’s greenhouse gas savings.

HOW ABOUT MAKING GOVERNMENTS ACCOUNTABLE?

The Malaysian and Indonesian governments are not a part of the RSPO and their own development policies for the industry make it difficult for planters to become eco-friendly.

For instance, Indonesia ended a freeze on new permits for developing estates on peatlands early this year as it seeks to expand the industry, a key revenue earner.

Planters who are RSPO members have pledged to stay away from peatlands and other natural forests but say they will lose valuable expansion opportunities to other companies who do not belong to the RSPO.

WHO WILL BUY PRICEY GREEN PALM OIL?

Price-conscious shoppers in Europe, a key palm oil consumer, have found it difficult to stomach higher-priced palm oil that has been certified under RSPO as the global economy takes its time to recover.

Much of the extra cost comes in hiring auditors to ensure palm oil is produced without harming wildlife and oppressing local communities as well as building new storage tanks and processors to “green” the supply chain.

Producers say their efforts have been wasted as European supermarkets are just passing the costs to the consumers without sharing the burden and warn that they might turn their backs on the RSPO.

Some European buyers have tried offering discounts although they say that food demand has been weaker across the board due to the economic crisis.

But many European retailers and manufacturers have yet to take up green palm oil in a big way, a scorecard by WWF has shown.

(Editing by Michael Urquhart)

http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSKLR418102