Deforestation threatens Indonesia's Papua region

Jayapura – Logging and agribusiness is threatening environmental destruction in Indonesia's Papua region, one of the world's last vast wildernesses.The governors of the two provinces in the region on the western end of New Guinea island told an international environmental conference a strategy was needed to avoid the mistakes that have decimated other Indonesian regions.

West Papua Governor Abraham Atururi said that pressure and threats to biodiversity in Papua are increasing. Papua is becoming a target for massive agro and forestry industry investment. His government had received an increasing number of requests for development and feared environmental destruction from illegal logging aimed at clearing land for plantations. In this regard, Papua should not repeat the failure to manage forests and biodiversity that has happened in Kalimantan (Borneo) and Sumatra.

In the meantime, The governor of Papua province, which sits on the eastern end of the region, Barnabas Suebu, said preserving the tropical forest-blanketed region was key to helping absorb the gases that cause climate change. The capacity of Papua's 42 million hectares (104 million acres) of forests to process CO2 is equivalent to the carbon footprint of nearly all the population of Europe.

Indonesia, which spreads across over 17,000 islands, has been a key advocate for plans being floated ahead of global climate talks in Copenhagen in December that would see developing countries paid to conserve forests and peatlands. Deforestation, largely on Borneo and Sumatra, has seen the country become the world's third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases.

Source : Agence France Presse
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Papuan biodiversity conference ends with commitment to preserving nature

Niken Prathivi ,
The International Biodiversity Conference on Sustainable Development closed here Saturday, urging the central government to help Papua preserve its natural environment for sustainable development. organizing committee chief Noak Kapisa said this conference recommends the central government implement an agenda and regulations that support the establishment of conservation forests.

All parties including the government, the private sector and locals must obey the regulations. The conference also recommended Papua become a leading force in reducing harmful emissions over the next seven years by undertaking a conservation project and preserving Papua's unique ecosystem. Papua has been asked to introduce an environmental education project in educational institutions from elementary schools to universities. the recommendations would also be presented to the second UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Copenhagen next month. Around 400 scientists, environmentalists, government officials and residents participated in the four-day conference.

Responding to the five recommendations, Papua Governor Barnabas Suebu said the residents of Papua and the central government must work together to encourage the international society to preserve the environment for the future.

"Let us save Papua, Indonesia and the planet."

Source : The Jakarta Post
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