ID :
94639
Sat, 12/12/2009 - 20:19
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/94639
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UNILEVER ENDS CONTRACTS WITH SINAR MAS OVER ILLEGALITIES : GREENPEACE
Jakarta, Dec. 12 (ANTARA) - Unilever, the world's biggest buyer of palm oil, has suspended all purchases of palm oil from Sinar Mas, according to Greenpeace on its website.
"These multinationals are taking action as they no longer want to be associated with forest destruction and climate change and we expect other companies to follow suit by immediately stopping their purchases of Sinar Mas products," said Joko Arif, Greenpeace South-East Asia Forest campaigner.
"This also sends a clear message to the Indonesian government that corporations, as well as the Indonesian public, expect the government to take immediate action to save our forests," he said.
Unilever's decision was prompted by the launch of the Greenpeace report "Illegal Forest Clearance and RSPO Greenwash" on Thursday.
"This report shows how companies owned and operated by Sinar Mas are involved in widespread rainforest clearance in Indonesia, as well as the destruction of deep peatland areas and other illegal practices," Greenpeace Southeast said on its official website.
In November, just days after a Greenpeace action stopped forest clearing operations on peatlands in Riau province by Indonesian pulp and paper giant Asia Pacific Resources International Holding Limited (APRIL), the Finnish company, UPM, canceled their contracts worth Euro 30 million with APRIL Minister Zulkifli subsequently suspended APRIL's permits pending an investigation into their legality.
Greenpeace on Friday presented evidence to Indonesia's Forestry Ministry of illegal forest clearance by Sinar Mas.
Greenpeace activists, including two orangutans, displayed a banner reading "Mr. Zulkifli - Stop Forest Criminals", at the Ministry entrance, and delivered an investigative report to urge Forestry Minister Zulkifli to suspend all Sinar Mas permits for forest clearance.
Greenpeace calls on Minister Zulkifli to take the same decisive action against Sinar Mas as he did against APRIL and suspend their permits. Furthermore, he must honour the President Yudhoyono's International commitments to reduce Indonesia's emissions by up to 41% with international help by declaring a moratorium on all forest and peatland clearance.
Indonesia has one of the fastest rates of forest loss in the world. The destruction of the country's peatlands alone accounts for 4% of global human induced greenhouse gas emissions, propelling Indonesia to become the world's third largest greenhouse gas emitter, after the US and China.
The Greenpeace report on Sinar Mas' illegal forest clearance in Indonesia comes during the critical UN Copenhagen Climate Summit where forest protection to decrease global emissions will be discussed.
Greenpeace is promoting the creation of a global fund to end deforestation in countries like Indonesia and Brazil, which requires industrialized countries to invest US$45 billion annually in forest protection.
(F001/A/HAJM/13:50/A/O001)
"These multinationals are taking action as they no longer want to be associated with forest destruction and climate change and we expect other companies to follow suit by immediately stopping their purchases of Sinar Mas products," said Joko Arif, Greenpeace South-East Asia Forest campaigner.
"This also sends a clear message to the Indonesian government that corporations, as well as the Indonesian public, expect the government to take immediate action to save our forests," he said.
Unilever's decision was prompted by the launch of the Greenpeace report "Illegal Forest Clearance and RSPO Greenwash" on Thursday.
"This report shows how companies owned and operated by Sinar Mas are involved in widespread rainforest clearance in Indonesia, as well as the destruction of deep peatland areas and other illegal practices," Greenpeace Southeast said on its official website.
In November, just days after a Greenpeace action stopped forest clearing operations on peatlands in Riau province by Indonesian pulp and paper giant Asia Pacific Resources International Holding Limited (APRIL), the Finnish company, UPM, canceled their contracts worth Euro 30 million with APRIL Minister Zulkifli subsequently suspended APRIL's permits pending an investigation into their legality.
Greenpeace on Friday presented evidence to Indonesia's Forestry Ministry of illegal forest clearance by Sinar Mas.
Greenpeace activists, including two orangutans, displayed a banner reading "Mr. Zulkifli - Stop Forest Criminals", at the Ministry entrance, and delivered an investigative report to urge Forestry Minister Zulkifli to suspend all Sinar Mas permits for forest clearance.
Greenpeace calls on Minister Zulkifli to take the same decisive action against Sinar Mas as he did against APRIL and suspend their permits. Furthermore, he must honour the President Yudhoyono's International commitments to reduce Indonesia's emissions by up to 41% with international help by declaring a moratorium on all forest and peatland clearance.
Indonesia has one of the fastest rates of forest loss in the world. The destruction of the country's peatlands alone accounts for 4% of global human induced greenhouse gas emissions, propelling Indonesia to become the world's third largest greenhouse gas emitter, after the US and China.
The Greenpeace report on Sinar Mas' illegal forest clearance in Indonesia comes during the critical UN Copenhagen Climate Summit where forest protection to decrease global emissions will be discussed.
Greenpeace is promoting the creation of a global fund to end deforestation in countries like Indonesia and Brazil, which requires industrialized countries to invest US$45 billion annually in forest protection.
(F001/A/HAJM/13:50/A/O001)
