Deforestation+in+Indonesia

 //Deforested peatland cleared to make pulp and paper products in Sumatra, Indonesia in 2014 // Nithin Coca. "Despite Government Pledges, Ravaging of Indonesia’s Forests Continues." Yale E360. n.d. Web. 25 Mar. 2018. < [] > Published on March 22, 2018 Accessed on March 25, 2018 Source: Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies
 * Despite Government Pledges, Ravaging of Indonesia’s Forests Continues **

//Seven years after Indonesian officials declared a moratorium on logging in undisturbed areas, logging and palm oil interests have not eased their assault on the world’s third-largest expanse of tropical forest, with major impacts on biodiversity and greenhouse gas emissions. // **Summary**: This article discusses the deleterious environmental effects that the Indonesian economy has. Specifically, the deteriorated environment is illustrated by the multitude of plantations that have stripped the land of its resources—trees. Ordinances by the Indonesian government were implemented, however, “Nearly seven years after the declaration of the moratorium, however, the initiative has failed to stem the loss of forests and peatlands”. Current satellite monitoring has shown that hundreds of thousands of acres more have been impacted. Further, events such as the Indonesian fire and haze crisis of 2015 have emitted an estimated 1,750 million metric tons of CO2 into the atmosphere. The habitats of animals such as orangutans have been destroyed along with this tropical forest. Although the moratorium is a step in the right direction, loopholes and flawed clauses (such as economic corruption) have caused the overall ineffectiveness. Although Indonesia is considered one of the leading nations in deforestation, it is not the only country that has struggled with following sustainable yield and “balancing” human-environment interaction. Indonesia, like almost all other developing countries, faces a lack of incentive to protect forests, “especially when faced with the need to expand their economies.” **Relevance to Course**: This issue strong relates to the coursework we are currently studying; in “Sustaining Ecosystems: Land Use, Conservation, and Management”, the role of government in resource conservation is heavily discussed. In recent times, the role of government in protecting the environment has increased, as seen in Indonesia. This is typically carried out through a variety of ordinances and regulations (Miller 610). Further, “Environmental Problems, Their Causes, and Sustainability” heavily emphasizes the matter of living sustainably (Miller 5). A sustainable society manages its economy and population size without exceeding all or part of the planet’s ability to absorb environmental insults, replenish its resources, and sustain human and other forms of life over a specified period (Miller 5). However, at the present rate of land area deterioration, it is evident this is not transpiring. Human actions in recent years have only been contributing to the deterioration of our planet—once known as a sustainable system. **Opinion:** According to the article, “Global demand for forest commodities has devastated major portions of the world’s third-largest tropical forest, with Indonesia losing more than 100,000 square miles of woodlands and peatlands”. This highlights the fact that economic demand for forest resources is leading to the destruction of the environment. Unfortunately, the main attributable cause of environmental deterioration, and essentially global warming is human activity. Emphatically enforcing regulation and ordinances that prevent and limit certain activities will go a long way. Rectifying the issue will be far from easy, but it is important for the United States, among other nations (such as Indonesia), to better recognize and address this exigent issue before more adverse consequences occur. Essentially, investing money, efforts, and resources now, and looking beyond the present and momentary wants and needs of the economy, will be much more beneficent to not only the American population’s health and safety but also the economy in the future. **Environmental Law**: Currently, there are quite a few ordinances, relating to resource use and human-environment interaction. The most prominent in Indonesia is the issuance of Presidential Instruction No. 8 of 2015, which effectuated a moratorium on the issuing of new “licenses in primary natural forest areas (hutan alam primer) and peatland (lahan gambut) located in conservation forests, protected forests, production forests, and other utilization areas” (Environment). Fortunately, support from the Norwegian government came in the form of a $1 billion pledge and implementation of the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) program. Other companies of the region such as Asian Pulp and Paper and Consumer Goods Forum also worked with the Indonesian government to negotiate standards. Environment & Climate Change Law 2018 | Indonesia | ICLG. "Environment & Climate Change Law 2018 | Indonesia | ICLG - International Comparative Legal Guides." Environment & Climate Change Law 2018 | Indonesia | ICLG. n.d. Web. 31 Mar. 2018.  <span style="font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Nithin Coca. "Despite Government Pledges, Ravaging of Indonesia’s Forests Continues." Yale E360. n.d. Web. 25 Mar. 2018. <span style="font-family: &#39;Times New Roman&#39;; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
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