New data published by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) reveals that the overall 2023 air pollution levels in Jakarta were arguably the worst since 2019. Despite improvements between 2020 and 2022, the rise of pollution in 2023 is a notable setback. Over 29 million people …
Large-scale felling in Indonesia's Sumatra islands to feed the domestic paper manufacturing industry has led to a severe depletion in natural forest cover. Worse, there are further plans to cut more than 1,78,000 hectares of forestland over the next two years. The situation is so distressing that buyers from Japan …
Indonesian capital city Jakarta's privatised water supply scenario is swirling in thick, intriguing soup. On Tuesday, November 12, 2003, the Jakarta Tap Water Consumers Society (komparta) filed a class action suit in the Central Jakarta District Court against city-run tap water company pd pam Jaya. Specifially, komparta demands the company's …
In December, it will be five years since the World Bank (wb) formally adopted its Operational Policy on pest management (op 4.09). However, two recently released reports of the Pesticide Action Network North America (panna) clearly show "widespread violations of the wb's pest management policy'. op 4.09 requires World Bank …
the Indonesian government's recommendation to grant 15 mining companies access to protected forest areas has come under fire from environmentalists and local people alike. The storm triggered by the proposal gathered force recently with the country's former environment minister, Sonny Keraf, joining in the protests. At present, Indonesia's house of …
the recent Supreme Court (sc) order revoking the ban on the import of natural rubber under the Advanced Licence Scheme (als) has split the sector down the middle. While it has spelt gloom for over 10 lakh small and marginal rubber growers nationwide, the recent sc directive has been welcomed …
The thirst for cheap coffee in the West could be wiping out endangered wildlife in Indonesia, reveals a study by the us-based Wildlife Conservation Society. The cultivation of robusta coffee beans
Japan continues to face legal ripples created by its decision to fund the construction of a dam in Indonesia. A fresh wave of 4,600 Indonesians has now sued the Japanese government, alleging that the project has wrecked their livelihoods by forcing them to resettle. Last year, more than 3,800 Indonesians …
wildfires that scorched parts of Indonesian forests in 1997 spewed as much carbon into the atmosphere as the planet's biosphere absorbs in a year. This claim has been made by researchers of uk-based University of Leicester. According to them, the forest fires released about 2.6 billion metric tonnes of carbon, …
a series of mild tremors following the earthquake, which hit the Andaman and Nicobar islands on September 14, 2002, has raised fears of a possible eruption of the Barren volcano. Experts say that a possible eruption of the volcano, located a few kilometres away from Diglipur at Barren Island can …
does corporate responsibility for us companies, one wonders, stop at that country's shores? It appears so, going by the latest directive by the us State Department to a federal judge to dismiss a lawsuit against the oil giant Exxon Mobil Corporation, which is facing complicity in human rights violations in …
With a view to arm the judiciary to combat environmental destruction, Indonesia has decided to train judges and prosecutors. At the end of the exercise, the government hopes the judges would be competent enough to handle eco-issues more effectively. "Indonesian law is extremely weak, while environmental problems are complex. We …
Indonesia's tropical forests are fast dwindling, courtesy rampant illegal logging. Taking stock of the situation, the country has now imposed a permanent ban on log exports. In October 2001, a joint decree banning exports of logs was passed temporarily. The government discussed the matter with the International Monetary Fund (imf) …
Between July 1997 and November 1997, forest fires on islands in Indonesia created smoke that spread over seven nations and was responsible for a plane crash in Sumatra and an oil vessel collision in the strait of Malacca due to low visibility. If there is a forest, there will be …
Sale Logged Indonesia plans to impose a permanent ban on export of logs to save its forests. Over-logging has nearly destroyed the country's rain forests. Realising this, it had imposed a ban on log exports in 1980 but later replaced it with a 200 per cent export tax to protect …
Caged Cruelty Animals have a right to freedom, even if they are in zoos. At an animal park in Java, investigators found an orang utan kept in a concrete cage with garbage inside. In Bali, a pig tailed macaque was kept in a dingy cage with one leg chained to …
it could be termed as heart rending. According to a recent report, more than 28 million children under age five suffer from the debilitating effects of malnutrition in developing countries. At least 10 million die due to
An outbreak of haze caused the closure of many schools in Sumatra recently. The thick choking smoke was triggered by forest fires which are quite prevalent in the region. The authorities tried hard to isolate the fires and prevented it from spreading. The level of haze varied in different areas. …
More than 120,000 hectares (ha) of rice fields and 300,000 tonnes of unhusked rice have been devastated by recent floods in Indonesia. "At least 120,991 ha of paddy fields in seven main rice producing provinces have been inundated by floods,' said Sarsito Wahono, a senior agriculture ministry official. He added, …
