4 Apr 2018

Palm oil development in Papua bypassing pledge, says NGO

From , 5:03 am on 4 April 2018

An environmental NGO has accused a major palm oil company in Indonesia's Papua province of failing to honour the spirit of a moratorium on new forest clearing.

Last year, Korindo, a South Korean-Indonesian joint venture, announced a moratorium on forest clearing in its oil palm concessions, after international pressure against its practice of burning Papuan rainforest.

But Deborah Lapidus of the NGO Mighty Earth told Johnny Blades that while Korindo is adhering to its pledge on its palm oil area, it has since been proceeding with rampant forest clearance on an adjacent logging concession.

Workers throw oil palm fruit branch to the truck on Nov 05, 2009, Chumporn, Thailand.

Workers throw oil palm fruit branches on a truck in Chumporn, Thailand. Photo: 123rf