Why are 80% of Indonesia's rainforests being destroyed?
More than 80 per cent of the Indonesian rainforest, mangroves and peatlands most vulnerable to being cleared for palm oil production is completely unprotected by the country's Forest Moratorium, according to new research.
What percentage of Indonesia is forested?
52.1%According to the U.N. FAO, 52.1% or about 94,432,000 ha of Indonesia is forested, according to FAO. Of this 50.0% ( 47,236,000 ) is classified as primary forest, the most biodiverse and carbon-dense form of forest.
Why is Indonesia losing forests?
Large areas of forest in Indonesia have been cleared by large multinational pulp companies, such as Asia Pulp and Paper, and replaced by plantations. Forests are often burned by farmers and plantation owners. Another major source of deforestation is the logging industry, driven by demand from China and Japan.
How many trees are cut down in Indonesia?
The data reported deforestation of 440,000 hectares in 2018, slightly lower than the 2017 number of 480,000 hectares. Global Forest Watch released similar numbers showing a 40 percent decrease in deforestation in Indonesia's primary forests in 2018, compared to the average annual rate of loss from 2002-2016.
Is deforestation increasing in Indonesia?
Indonesia's deforestation rate hit a historic low in 2020, with the government crediting its policies, including its social forestry policy, as well as its prohibition of forest clearing.
Why do people in Indonesia cut down trees?
Despite government regulations, Indonesia's forests are still being cleared for palm oil, pulp wood, logging and mining. Palm oil continues to be one of the leading drivers of deforestation and Indonesia is the largest producer of palm oil.
How much of Indonesia is deforested for palm oil?
The researchers make a conservative estimate that oil palm was responsible for one-third of Indonesia's loss of old-growth forests (9.79 million hectares cleared, or 11 percent of forest area in 2000) over the last two decades.
Is deforestation legal in Indonesia?
The Government of Indonesia has committed to reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation. However, the country suffers from one of the most significant illegal logging and illegal land clearing conditions in the world.
How much of Indonesia is rainforest?
Incredibly, with just 1 percent of the Earth's land area, Indonesia's rainforests contain 10 percent of the world's known plant species, 12 percent of mammal species – including endangered orangutans and critically endangered Sumatran tigers and rhinos – and 17 percent of all known bird species.
Is deforestation legal in Indonesia?
The Government of Indonesia has committed to reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation. However, the country suffers from one of the most significant illegal logging and illegal land clearing conditions in the world.
How much of the logging in Indonesia is legal?
A 2007 United Nations Environment Program report estimated that 73-88% of timber logged in Indonesia is illegally sourced. More recent estimates place the figure at a lower, but still troubling rate of 40-55%.
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As recently as the 1960s, about 80 percent of Indonesia was forested.
Economic Value of Rainforests
Continued clearing of natural forests and drainage of peatland is creating serious economic losses as well. Indonesia’s standing forests provide innumerable services, most of which have been poorly valued economically and are only just starting to be appreciated.
Rainforest Destruction and Climate Change
The scale of destruction of Indonesia’s rainforests is so large that it is now having significant impacts on the global climate. Rainforest and peatland ecosystems store billions of tons of carbon, and their demolition releases huge emissions into the atmosphere. Indonesia is now the world’s third largest emitter of greenhouse gasses after the U.S.
Overview
In the Amazon, around 17% of the forest has been lost in the last 50 years, mostly due to forest conversion for cattle ranching.
Causes
A forest in Sumatra, Indonesia, is clear cut to make way for a palm oil plantation.
Impacts
Forests are more than just a collection of trees and other plants—they are integrated ecosystems and home to some of the most diverse life on Earth. They are also major players in the carbon and water cycles that make life possible.
What WWF Is Doing
To stop deforestation, WWF uses several approaches, some of which are summarized below. To bring each approach to life, we work with companies, communities, government leaders, academics, and others.
