Indonesia peat forest protection

After the forests are gone, the thick layers of peat swamp beneath them are drained and often burned to make the soil more suitable for palm oil plantations. The billions of tons of carbon entering the atmosphere as a result of these practices has made Indonesia the world's third largest climate polluter. The Riau Governor's temporary ban on peat burning will remain in place while a national law is debated. It follows a pledge made by Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at the G-8 Summit in July to reduce his country's carbon emissions from deforestation by 50 per cent by 2009.]

October 2008