Western Malaysia is shrouded in a dangerous haze caused by illegal slash-and-burn fires on timber and oil palm plantations in Sumatra, Indonesia. There is a state of emergency in the worst affected […]
Slash-and-burn fires cause pollution haze
Koala extinctions already a reality
Koalas are already considered extinct in Avalon, north of Sydney, and are in danger of disappearing from many other parts of Australia. The iconic animal that tourists queue up to cuddle is […]
Cinematographer calls for funds for “Symphony of the Earth”
The renowned Australian wildlife cinematographer Jim Frazier has launched an appeal for funding for a global project called “Symphony of the Earth”, which he is dubbing the Woodstock of cinema. His aim […]
Koala conference hears of new threats to iconic species
The 2013 National Koala Conference – “Their Future is in our Hands” – started today (Friday) in Port Macquarie in the eastern Australian state of New South Wales. Speakers painted a disturbing […]
Forest moratorium extended in Indonesia
The Indonesian government has extended its forest moratorium for two more years. The moratorium covers new logging and plantation concessions, but licences that were granted when it was first signed in 2011 […]
Malaysian opposition alleges widespread electoral fraud
It’s a tough day for Malaysians who voted for change; those who had hoped that the opposition three-party Pakatan Rakyat (People’s Alliance) would beat all odds and defeat Barisan Nasional (the National […]
Indonesian court rules in favour of palm oil company
Environmentalists are facing a serious setback because of a court judgement in Indonesia that opens the way to further destruction of the Tripa peat swamp forest by the palm oil company PT […]
Sustainable palm oil criteria “too little, too late”
The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) has voted to revise its principles and criteria for palm oil production. The revisions include new criteria on reducing greenhouse gases emissions. There is also […]
Greenpeace accuses palm oil company of destroying tiger habitat
Greenpeace International says the palm oil producer Darmex Agro has destroyed hundreds of hectares of tiger habitat in an area of Indonesian rainforest that should be protected under a government moratorium. In […]
Canadian company pushing for more forest destruction in Sumatra
A Canadian mining company, East Asia Minerals, is reported to be pushing for more than one million hectares of protected forest in Indonesia to be cleared. The company says it is actively […]
Palm oil company fails to attend court hearing
The first court hearing has been held in a civil case brought by Indonesia’s environment ministry against a palm oil company accused of destroying huge swathes of the Tripa peat swamp forest […]
Campaigners urge rapid prosecution of Tripa lawbreakers
Environmentalists have called on police and the Indonesian government to step up their investigations into environmental crimes being committed in the Tripa peat swamp forest in northern Sumatra. A new petition to […]
Indonesian governor revokes palm oil permit
The governor of Aceh province in Sumatra, Zaini Abdullah, has executed a high court order and revoked an illegal permit to cultivate oil palms in the Tripa peat swamp forest, an area […]
French protesters call for a harder line on fracking
In France, thousands of people marked Global Frackdown Day, holding protest actions and debates throughout the country. Anti-shale gas activists called on the government to take a harder line on shale gas, […]
French president says no to shale gas fracking
French president François Hollande has announced that there will be no shale gas exploration or exploitation in France during his presidency. Hollande said France’s current ban on hydraulic fracturing would remain, and […]
Court orders palm oil licence to be revoked
An Indonesian court has instructed the governor of Aceh province in northern Sumatra to revoke the licence granted to the palm oil company PT Kallista Alam, accused of destroying large areas of […]
Risking life and limb diving for sea cucumbers
Sea cucumbers are a popular delicacy throughout Asia. On the international market, they sell for hundreds, even thousands, of US dollars a kilo, but Indonesian divers who supply them earn as little […]
Feed, spay, love
The Bali Animal Welfare Association feeds, vaccinates, and sterilises street dogs. It finds homes for puppies, and educates local people about animal care. When rabies hit the island in 2008, it led […]
Tripa still burning
Environmentalists in Sumatra say there is evidence that the Tripa peat swamp is still being burned. They are calling on the Indonesian authorities to take more action to halt the destruction. The […]
Tripa peat forest back on protected list
Thanks to international pressure on the Indonesian government, the Tripa peat forest in northern Sumatra has once again been officially declared a nature reserve. It was being burned to a cinder by […]
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