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Indonesian Government uses global climate change mitigation as excuse to
rubber stamp illegal palm plantations located in forest areas
21 September 2011
* 7.4 million hectares of palm concessions in Indonesian Borneo to be
legalized as forestry plantations
Global climate change mitigation is being touted as a legal
justification by the Government of Indonesia (Ministry of Forestry) to
legalize palm plantations with legally defective licenses so as to allow
them to continue operating in designated forest areas.
Minister of Forestry Regulation No. 62/Menhut-II/2011, dated 25 August
2011 - which was only made public in mid September - states that the
problem of plantation cultivation within production forests is to be
resolved by issuing forestry plantation licenses for various types of
tree crops.
As part of this process, the palm concessions in question will continue
to be categorized as forest areas and be treated as additional forest
cover in the context of global climate change mitigation.
Thus, originally illegal palm plantations that are legalized as forestry
plantations by the aforesaid Minister of Forestry Regulation will now be
able to continue operating in forest areas, this time legally, after
securing forestry plantation licenses.
Not only that, the palms will be treated by the government as additional
forest cover for global climate change mitigation purposes.
The said Regulation also opens the door for the holders of licenses for
forestry plantations that have been developed and are operating, and
those of licenses for forestry plantations that have not been developed
due to financial reasons, to legally develop palm plantations on their
forestry plantation concessions.
This regulation will be a disaster for Indonesia's forests. We can all
imagine what will happen to the country's forests if palm plantations
are legal recognized as forestry plantations.
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