West applauds Borneo forest agreement

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Wed, 02/14/2007 5:15 PM

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Western countries applauded Wednesday the commitment of Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia and Indonesia to protect equatorial rain forests in Borneo.

The United States and the European Union congratulated the three countries for signing a declaration that will conserve approximately 220,000 square kilometers of rain forest, or almost one third of the island.

Ministers of the environment from the three countries signed on Monday in Bali the historic declaration to conserve and manage in a sustainable way the ""Heart of Borneo"".

It is hoped that the declaration will be able to save one of the world's most biologically diverse areas from the threats of unsustainable logging, forest fires and plantations.

""The United States support the Heart of Borneo initiative as it will significantly enhances U.S. international conservation objectives,"" the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta said in a statement made available to The Jakarta Post.

The EU presidency welcomed the declaration, saying that it was an encouraging signal to ensure sustainable management of natural forests.

Deforestation in Kalimantan, the Indonesian part of the island, has long posed great danger to the rich biodiversity of the island.

Since 1996, deforestation across Indonesia has increased to an average of 2 million hectares per year and today only half of Kalimantan's original forest cover remains.

The island is home to 13 primate species, more than 350 bird species, 150 reptiles and amphibians and around 15,000 species of plant and continues to be the source of many new discoveries.

More than fifty new species were discovered last year alone.

Speaking after signing the declaration, Indonesian Forestry Minister Malam Sambat Ka'ban said that the pledge would put the Heart of Borneo on the world stage as one of the last great blocks of forests in the world.

""This is an historic occasion which marks new a collaboration between our three countries,"" Ka'ban said.

Malaysian Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Dato Seri Azmi bin Khalid said the declaration was more than symbolic as it represented a commitment between the three countries to conserve and manage the Heart of Borneo in a sustainable manner.

Indonesia, Brunei Darussalam and Malaysia share common borders on the island.

Executive director of World Wildlife Fund Indonesia Mubariq Ahmad said that the joint declaration should inspire other countries to do the same.

""That the three countries have come together with a shared vision... to protect vital natural resources and reduce poverty should be an inspiration to everyone,"" he said.

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