Forests in Papua: Data and Facts

26th January 2008

by Marianne Klute, Watch Indonesia!

Contribution to the Forest Conference of the West Papua Network in Witten

„The last frontier“ – that’s what the environmental organisation Telapak calls the forests of Papua. During the few decades, forests have been clearcut everywhere in Indonesia. Papua is the last region with surviving large continuous forests. In recent years, however, Papua has become a hotspot for the timber industry. The forest has been vanishing rapidly, and police measures against ... read more

Posted on 03:44 PM in Indonesia, Papua, Publications, Pulp & Paper, Rainforest, Environment & Climate, Watch's Studies and Reports
Tags: Indonesia, palm oil, Papua, plantations, rain forest destruction, environment and climate

German Bank Pulls Out of Controversial Indonesian Gold Mine Scheme

18th January 2008

Urgewald + Watch Indonesia!, press note

The Indonesian province of North Sulawesi is a biodiversity hotspot and harbors some of the world’s most spectacular nature areas. Northern Sulawesi is also home to a series of gold deposits, the largest of which is known by the name of Toka Tindung. Plans to establish gold mining operations here have met with widespread resistance both from local inhabitants and the Provincial government, who fear that the mines would disrupt ... read more

Posted on 08:47 AM in Economy, Labor & Corruption, Joint Press Releases & Statements, Indonesia, Mining, Publications, Environment & Climate
Tags: mining, Germany, Indonesia, protest action, government, Sulawesi, environment and climate, economy and business

Nusa Dua’s Burdened Past

Alter-Eco Issue 3 Offsetting Omissions, December 2007

UNFCCC COP-13/MOP-3

Marianne Klute, Watch Indonesia!

What a miraculous place! The beauty and luxury of Bali´s Nusa Dua peninsula has impressed many delegates at the UN Climate Conference. With its five to seven star hotels, flamboyant tropical gardens, and a white beach set on the Indian Ocean, it is one of the most luxurious destinations of the world.

But Nusa Dua has not always been at it is today. Only one generation ... read more

Posted on 05:14 PM in Human Rights, Indonesia, Land & Indigenous Rights, Publications, Watch Indonesia! in the Media
Tags: poverty, Bali, dictator Suharto, Indonesia, human rights, environment and climate, dealing with the past

Biofuels – A new threat to climate and climate justice

December 2007

“We have very serious concerns over nuclear energy, genetically modified trees, carbon capture and storage and biofuels for environmental and safety reasons. We consider that these are not ways out to combat global warming, but endangering environment and poor populations.”, Indonesian NGO Forum “The Earth will not give us the extra biomass needed to keep on existing as we do. For a while we might continue to rob this biomass from the poor tropics, but the results are already ... read more

Posted on 08:01 AM in Agro Fuels, joint position papers, Indonesia, Publications, Environment & Climate
Tags: agrofuel ("biofuel"), Indonesia, environment and climate