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Laws & regulations

North Sulawesi confronts Jakarta over MSM gold mine plans

Down to Earth No. 72 March 2007

The Toka Tindung gold mine project is now in doubt after strong opposition to Meares Soputan Mining's plans to build an open pit gold mine in a sensitive coastal area and dump mine waste into Rinondoran Bay.

A major blow came when an environmental hearing in August 2006 forced the company to alter its plans to instead use the more expensive option of disposal of tailings on land.

Indonesia's Forestry Congress IV: hope and reality

Down to Earth No. 71, November 2006


The following account is by a member of DTE staff who attended the recent national forestry congress in Jakarta.

The fourth Indonesian Forestry Congress was held in the Forestry Department Building, Manggala Wanabakti, in Jakarta on 13-15 September 2006. The theme was 'From Crisis to Resurgence: Repositioning Indonesian Forestry', and the congress was opened by vice-president Yusuf Kalla.

Indigenous groups hail declaration breakthrough


Down to Earth No.

Forest policy and Indonesia's natural resources crisis: a view from Jakarta

Down to Earth No. 70, August 2006


This article is based on an interview with Andiko, Coordinator of the Legal Reform Programme of HuMA, the Association for Community and Ecology-Based Legal Reform, in Jakarta. Andiko is actively involved in various legal reform discussions and campaigns on natural resources management.

Communities challenge palm oil industry promises of sustainability

Down to Earth No 68  February 2006

After a year of negotiations and pressure from Indonesian and international civil society groups, the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) accepted the Principles & Criteria drafted by its working group at its meeting in Singapore on 22 - 23 November 2005.

Legal or sustainable?

Down to Earth No 67  November 2005

As part of the international campaign to crack down on illegal logging, stop forest destruction and eliminate timber smuggling, the Indonesian government has been pressed to agree a definition of what is and isn't 'legal' in Indonesia's forests.

Forests Update 2005

Down to Earth No 67  November 2005

New measures to promote fastwood plantations

Forestry minister Kaban has issued five new measures aimed at reducing illegal logging and reviving the timber industry. These support his policy announcement made in July about speeding up the establishment of fastwood plantations to supply the country's pulp and paper plants. Foreign companies will now be allowed to invest in timber plantations.