Southeast Sulawesi's Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) has said it has continued to coordinate with districts and city BPBDs across the province .
State-owned mining company PT Aneka Tambang (Antam) Tbk is committed to building a smelter in its nickel mining concession in North Konawe district, Southeast .
‘We attack,’ Indonesia declares in joint bid with Malaysia to shield palm oil
Indonesia and Malaysia plan to mount a joint offensive to shore up the palm oil industry against criticism of the deforestation and conflicts associated with the production of the commodity.
The leaders of the two countries allege that the EU, which plans to phase out palm-based biodiesel as a renewable energy, is discriminating to protect its own vegetable oil producers.
Top government and industry leaders in Indonesia have declared a “black campaign” against their European competitors and against Indonesian NGOs calling for a more sustainable palm oil industry.
Palm oil plantations, coal mines linked to deadly Indonesia flood
Environmentalists have attributed recent heavy floods in southern Indonesian Borneo to widespread deforestation for oil palm plantations and coal mines.
An analysis by Indonesia’s space agency shows an area of forest twice the size of London was cleared in the past decade in the watershed area of the Barito River in South Kalimantan province.
During the same period, plantations spanning twice the size of Los Angeles have been established in the watershed area.
Activists have called for a sweeping review of licenses as well as rehabilitation of degraded areas in the region.
by Hans Nicholas Jong
The full report from Global Witness can be download here
A report by Global Witness has found that more than 100 Indonesian palm oil mills supplying agribusiness giants ADM and Bunge have been accused of land and human rights violations and environmental destruction.
Global Witness found that neither company is addressing the majority of these allegations through their formal grievance processes, and effectively passing on this “conflict” palm oil to major consumer brands such as Nestlé, Unilever and PepsiCo.
ADM and Bunge have denied any failure to police their suppliers, but have also pledged to look into the allegations.