School students wear facemasks to protect their health against the smoke from forest fires that blankets their city.

An early morning haze from fires to clear rainforest covers the city of Pekanbaru. Some 2400 fire hot spots were recorded in Riau Sumatra in August 2009.

Draining peatland releases huge amounts of greenhouse gases into the world's atmosphere and is the main reason Indonesia is the world's third largest greenhouse gas emitter behind China and the US.

Palm factory. Factories produce the commonly known palm oil as well as palm kernel expeller (PKE) used for animal feed and palm kernel oil used for high end products. Sumatra, Indonesia.

Canals dug into the carbon rich peat soils transport valuable logs out of the forests. The land is drained and remaining foliage and wood is burnt releasing huge amounts of greenhouse gases.

Trucks laden with fresh fruit bunches of palm on the way to palm factories where they will be processed into palm oils and palm based animal feed.

Palm factory. Factories produce the commonly known palm oil as well as palm kernel expeller (PKE) used for animal feed and palm kernel oil used for high end products.

Max Purnell, a New Zealand farmer, stands on land cleared of rainforests for palm plantations in North Sumatra, Indonesia.

Forest fire to clear land for palm plantation in Riau Sumatra. 2400 fire hot spots were recorded in Riau Sumatra in August 2009.