Under President Joko Widodo, Indonesia has gained international praise for its conservation policies. But now the government is clamping down on scientists who are questioning official claims that the country’s endangered orangutan and rhino populations are increasing.
A 30-kilometer-wide wildfire front detected in the Siberian Arctic at a latitude of 69.31°N on August 6, 2020. Sentinel-2 Infrared color image. Credit: Adrià
Home to the world’s third-largest expanse of tropical forest, the world’s fourth-biggest population, and frequently ranked among the world’s top 10 greenhouse gas emitters, Indonesia is a country where what happens has a vast effect on global biodiversity and environmental health. Here, assembled by Mongabay staff, are some of the top news and trends from […]
JAKARTA Indonesian academics have called out the government for banning five foreign scientists after they questioned official claims of an increase in the country’s orangutan population, warning that the move sets a disturbing precedent for academic freedom. In a statement to the government, scientists grouped under the Academic Freedom Advocacy Team called the ban […]
Since proclaiming independence in 1945, Indonesia’s leaders have not been shy about their ambitions to transform the county into an economic powerhouse. For decades, economic plans relied heavily on extracting resources like timber, coal and gas. Now, though, President Joko Widodo is embracing a plan to ride the wave of the global climate agenda with […]