BUSINESS
JAKARTA (FORESTHINTS.NEWS) - Ahead of World Environment Day (Jun 3), Unilever-owned brand Dove announced a partnership with Conservation International to protect and restore 20,000 hectares in Indonesia's North Sumatra province, an area approximately twice the size of Paris.
According to the company's press release, the Dove Forest Restoration Project seeks to deliver, among other things, biodiversity benefits such as the protection and restoration of habitats for many endangered species, including the Sumatran Tiger.
Dove also stated that its partnership with Conservation International forms part of its support for the conservation organization's collaboration with the Indonesian Ministry of Environment and Forestry.
However, Conservation International had yet to obtain legal authorization from the ministry for its partnership with Dove as a third party when the Dove Forest Restoration Project was launched to the global public, including through the dissemination of the following video posted by Dove US.
In an effort to avoid illegalities in a number of self-declared carbon projects, one of which is the Dove Forest Restoration Project, these projects were canceled by the Indonesian forestry authorities, as previously reported by FORESTHINTS.NEWS (Jul 9).
With reference to Indonesian laws and regulations, the forestry authorities have cautioned that third parties or business sector players engaged in forest restoration activities inside production and protection forests, with the aim of controlling carbon emissions, are required to obtain a legal permit from the country’s Environment and Forestry Minister.
As regards Indonesian efforts to double the Sumatran tiger population as part of its enhanced climate action, as reported by FORESTHINTS.NEWS to coincide with Global Tiger Day (Jul 29), the map for the country's permanent moratorium on the conversion of primary forests and peatlands covers more than 8.15 million hectares of Sumatran tiger habitat, an area equivalent to over 773 times the size of Paris.
This figure becomes even larger if distribution of Sumatran tiger habitat scattered among existing forestry and palm oil concessions is included.
Conservation International’s stance
Meanwhile, Conservation International has declared its complete respect for the government process currently underway.
“We absolutely respect the process taking place within the government (the ministry),” Conservation International-Indonesia’s Senior Terrestrial Policy Advisor Iman Santoso wrote (Jul 23) in response to a related query from FORESTHINTS.NEWS.
When asked to confirm whether this position taken by Conservation International indicates that it wants to remain in alignment with the Indonesian government in its partnership with Unilever in the Dove Forest Restoration Project, Santoso provided the following clear response (Jul 29).
“As an international NGO in Indonesia, we have to align with government regulations, policies, and programs, including with whomever international NGOs like us work with.”
Dove also respectful of ongoing process
In a written response to FORESTHINTS.NEWS (Jul 30), Unilever-owned brand Dove explained that discussions are taking place between its partner Conservation International and the Indonesian Ministry of Environment and Forestry, adding that it supports the process underway.
“Our partner, Conservation International, is currently in discussions with the authorized directorate general (at the ministry). We respect the ongoing process with the government and look forward to the outcomes,” said the Dove spokesperson.
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BUSINESS
JAKARTA (FORESTHINTS.NEWS) - Ahead of World Environment Day (Jun 3), Unilever-owned brand Dove announced a partnership with Conservation International to protect and restore 20,000 hectares in Indonesia's North Sumatra province, an area approximately twice the size of Paris.
According to the company's press release, the Dove Forest Restoration Project seeks to deliver, among other things, biodiversity benefits such as the protection and restoration of habitats for many endangered species, including the Sumatran Tiger.
Dove also stated that its partnership with Conservation International forms part of its support for the conservation organization's collaboration with the Indonesian Ministry of Environment and Forestry.
However, Conservation International had yet to obtain legal authorization from the ministry for its partnership with Dove as a third party when the Dove Forest Restoration Project was launched to the global public, including through the dissemination of the following video posted by Dove US.
In an effort to avoid illegalities in a number of self-declared carbon projects, one of which is the Dove Forest Restoration Project, these projects were canceled by the Indonesian forestry authorities, as previously reported by FORESTHINTS.NEWS (Jul 9).
With reference to Indonesian laws and regulations, the forestry authorities have cautioned that third parties or business sector players engaged in forest restoration activities inside production and protection forests, with the aim of controlling carbon emissions, are required to obtain a legal permit from the country’s Environment and Forestry Minister.
As regards Indonesian efforts to double the Sumatran tiger population as part of its enhanced climate action, as reported by FORESTHINTS.NEWS to coincide with Global Tiger Day (Jul 29), the map for the country's permanent moratorium on the conversion of primary forests and peatlands covers more than 8.15 million hectares of Sumatran tiger habitat, an area equivalent to over 773 times the size of Paris.
This figure becomes even larger if distribution of Sumatran tiger habitat scattered among existing forestry and palm oil concessions is included.
Conservation International’s stance
Meanwhile, Conservation International has declared its complete respect for the government process currently underway.
“We absolutely respect the process taking place within the government (the ministry),” Conservation International-Indonesia’s Senior Terrestrial Policy Advisor Iman Santoso wrote (Jul 23) in response to a related query from FORESTHINTS.NEWS.
When asked to confirm whether this position taken by Conservation International indicates that it wants to remain in alignment with the Indonesian government in its partnership with Unilever in the Dove Forest Restoration Project, Santoso provided the following clear response (Jul 29).
“As an international NGO in Indonesia, we have to align with government regulations, policies, and programs, including with whomever international NGOs like us work with.”
Dove also respectful of ongoing process
In a written response to FORESTHINTS.NEWS (Jul 30), Unilever-owned brand Dove explained that discussions are taking place between its partner Conservation International and the Indonesian Ministry of Environment and Forestry, adding that it supports the process underway.
“Our partner, Conservation International, is currently in discussions with the authorized directorate general (at the ministry). We respect the ongoing process with the government and look forward to the outcomes,” said the Dove spokesperson.
RELATED STORIES