Newsletter articles

DTE's quarterly newsletter provides information on ecological justice in Indonesia.

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DTE publications

DTE 88, April 2011

As a country rich in natural resources, Indonesia has many sources of renewable energy. According to government policy, these include geothermal energy, agrofuels, hydro, solar and wind energy, biomass, biogas, tidal energy and energy from differences in sea temperatures.

DTE 88, April 2011

A new certification scheme – Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO) – is being introduced in Indonesia this year. Announced in November last year by Indonesia’s Agriculture Minister Suswono, the scheme is being seen as a rival to the Roundtable of Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO).

Down to Earth 87, December 2010

Down to Earth No.84, March 2010

There was a time when public debates around palm oil centred mainly on food ingredients and cosmetics. Today the focus of the debate has shifted to the use of palm oil for electricity and heat generation as well as for transport.


In the last couple of months the UK has seen a nation-wide wave of planning applications for agrofuels-based power stations. Two energy companies W4B Renewable Energy and Vo-gen, mention palm oil as fuel source in their applications, while others have not legally ruled it out.

Down to Earth No.83, December 2009

By Chris Lang.1


Indonesia's President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono likes to make promises. Particularly at international meetings.

Down to Earth No.82, September 2009

European countries are turning to agrofuels for energy and transport as part of their strategy to move away from fossil fuels and meet greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets. The use of palm oil as an agrofuel source has drawn strong criticism due to the severe social, environmental and negative climate change impacts, which contradict industry claims that it is a 'green' fuel.

Down to Earth No.80-81, June 2009

The following CSO declaration was issued in March 2009 to urge governments to take a cautious approach to claims that charcoal - called 'biochar' by its promoters - can be a means of storing large amounts of carbon and mitigating climate change. Instead, 'biochar' could mean more land-grabbing, human rights violations and forest destruction.