Indonesia Becomes Third Largest Emitter Due To Illegal Logging

Published October 28, 2009 @ 07:07AM PT

Indonesia has accelerated ahead of India, Brazil, Japan, Germany and the UK to take bronze medal in the race to become the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases. What? It's not a race? Well Indonesia are treating it like one. Illegal logging of 10 million hectares and subsequent burning has propelled Indonesia into third place in the list of the world's carbon emitters.

Indonesia has one-tenth of the world's remaining rainforest, but the world-record speed of destruction is accounting for 80% of the country's green house gas emissions. The dictator that ruled for 32 years didn't help things, but the current president hasn't done much to help either. Legal logging continues as unsustainable levels, with the country eager to profit from plantations that require massive land clearance, destroying natural habitats for endangered species. Indonesia welcomes the idea of being paid to conserve its forest (like Ecuador) through UN's Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation, but even that scheme would be unlikely to compensate Indonesia enough to make it worthwhile. And until a better solution is found, the destruction will continue.

Photo Credit: Ben Sutherland

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