International

A report from the RSPO

Down to Earth No. 72 March 2007

The fourth Roundtable meeting on Sustainable Palm Oil was held in Singapore on 21-22 November 2006. The oil palm advocacy network, Sawit Watch, organised the participation of a 25-strong contingent of Indonesian CSO representatives.

Interview: Thoughts on the RSPO

Down to Earth No. 72 March 2007

Zulfahmi, former director of Riau NGO forest network Jikalahari, is a member of Sawit Watch and has attended several meetings of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), including the latest (RT4) in Singapore, last November.

Oil palm and the United Nations

Down to Earth No. 71, November 2006

Indigenous peoples are trying to restrict the expansion of large-scale oil palm plantations in Indonesia and other southeast Asian countries This article was written by Mina S. Setra of the West Kalimantan Indigenous Peoples' Alliance (AMA Kalbar), following her visit to the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Peoples in New York earlier this year.

This year has been important for indigenous peoples all over the world.

Palm oil is not green

Down to Earth No. 71, November 2006

Plans have been shelved to use palm oil in a UK power station after campaigners highlighted the negative consequences for local communities, forests and wildlife.

No chip mill without wood

Down to Earth No. 71, November 2006

As Indonesia's first 'stand alone' wood chip mill neared completion on Pulau Laut, campaigners from Down to Earth and WALHI South Kalimantan went to Europe to lobby companies who are supporting this unsustainable venture.

Freeport investor quits

Down to Earth No. 71, November 2006

Freeport McMoRan Copper and Gold, operator of the Freeport-Rio Tinto gold and copper mine in West Papua, has been dropped from the US$240 billion Norwegian government pension fund for ethical reasons.

In brief... DTE 71 - November 2006

Down to Earth No. 71, November 2006

Worst forest fires since 1997

This year's forest fires and resulting smoke-smog pollution have again caused havoc over large areas of Kalimantan and Sumatra. Dry conditions meant that the fires spread rapidly and continued into November, before rains started easing the situation. The choking 'haze', which is expected to take a heavy toll on local people's health, spread to neighbouring countries, prompting President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to apologise to them.