Greenpeace Indonesia petitions SBY to stop deforestation

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Mon, 05/18/2009 11:18 AM  |  National

The Indonesian chapter of environmental conservationist group Greenpeace petitioned President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to issue a policy that would temporarily ban deforestation and other forest conservation policies on Monday.

Greenpeace Southeast Asia campaigner Joko Arif told state news agency Antara that the petition, signed by 60,000 supporters, was handed over to State Secretary Correspondence chief Sri Haryati.

According to Arif, the petition urges the government to take swift action against further destruction of forests so as to ease climate change and safeguard biodiversity.

"The destruction of Indonesian forests occurs at a rate of up to five times the size of a soccer field at each given minute," Arif said, adding that there are 120.35 million hectares of Indonesian forests, roughly the size of the UK, Germany, France and Finland combined.

The environmental group has been actively lobbying the government to halt all deforestation for two years, so far to no avail. (amr)

 

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