Indonesian Rainforests

Greenpeace is campaigning to prevent the reckless destruction of Indonesia’s remaining rainforests. We are doing so to protect endangered wildlife like the Sumatran tiger and orangutan, support forest communities, and to stop greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation. One of the leading drivers of this forest destruction is a company called Asia Pulp and Paper (APP), part of the Sinar Mas group of companies.

The Indonesian government estimates that over one million hectares of forest are being cleared every year, one of the highest rates of forest destruction in the world. The conversion of rainforests to tree plantations for pulp and palm oil production is a leading cause of this deforestation. In the next hour, an area the size of 300 football fields will be lost.

Sumatran Tiger numbers in the wild have dipped perilously low to less 400. At current rates of destruction, the Sumatran tiger is likely to follow its predecessors, the Javanese and Bali tigers, into extinction.

Meanwhile, a growing number of corporate consumers who were previously buying products produced by APP, many identified in Greenpeace investigations, have now dumped the notorious rainforest destroyer and introduced policies that ensure environmentally responsible sourcing instead. These companies include Kraft, Nestlé, Unilever, Corporate Express, Adidas, Staples and, most recently, Lego and Mattel.

How Greenpeace works to save Indonesia’s rainforests

• Exposing companies that do business with Asia Pulp and Paper: We are engaging large corporate customers of APP to cut their ties with this notorious forest destroyer and to put in place policies that support the use of environmentally responsible pulp and paper products.
• Engaging individual consumers: APP has aggressive plans to expand even further into the Canadian market. Canadians do not want products that come from endangered Sumatran tiger habitat. We are helping consumers avoid APP products that come from rainforest destruction.
• Supporting Indonesia: Indonesian President Susilo Yudhoyono has committed to prioritise rainforest protection for the rest of his presidency. Greenpeace is supporting his leadership and working with his government to make this happen.
• Providing solutions: Rainforest destruction is not the only way. Sustainable forest products are possible. Greenpeace has an international track record of providing solutions for forests and the people who inhabit them. We have already convinced APP’s sister company and palm oil producer, Golden Agri Resources (GAR) to take steps to reduce their impact on their forests of Indonesia.

Tell APP that Canadians don’t want products sourced from rainforest and tiger habitat destruction.