POLICY
JAKARTA (FORESTHINTS.NEWS) - Indonesian Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya has pointed out the astonishing magnitude of the two-year implementation of President Joko Widodo's order for a palm oil expansion moratorium in remaining areas with good forest cover lying in existing palm oil concessions in Papua and West Papua provinces.
The President's immense achievement in the form of his order for a palm oil moratorium in Papua and West Papua can be technically verified by looking at satellite data and ground-based observations.
“The evidence does not lie. The evidence cannot be denied unless there are parties who close their eyes and ears to this evidence,” Minister Nurbaya spelled out in a virtual forestry and palm oil discussion (Oct 27).
As previously reported by FORESTHINTS.NEWS (May 11), she has identified potential high conservation value (HCV) areas in existing palm oil concessions in the two biodiversity-rich provinces, the permits for which derive from the relinquishment of convertible production forests (HPK) which are state forest areas.
According to January 2020 land cover data, the total expanse of potential HCV areas identified in the existing palm oil concessions in Papua and West Papua stood at 1.26 million hectares, equal to more than 17 times the size of Singapore.
Minister Nurbaya pointed to spatial evidence showing that, by the end of September and early October 2020, these potential HCV areas, situated in natural forests with good forest cover, had diminished only very slightly.
“From 1.26 million hectares, there was a reduction of slightly more than 2,600 hectares, or a mere 0.2%. This means that the two-year implementation of President Widodo's palm oil moratorium order has had a huge impact on forest protection in existing palm oil concessions,” she explained.
“It should be emphasized too that almost all the permits for existing palm oil concessions in Papua and West Papua provinces were granted by the previous administration," she added.
Detailed figures
To provide greater detail, Minister Nurbaya demonstrated evidence that of the nearly 870,000 hectares of potential HCV areas within existing palm oil concessions in Papua province, equal to nearly 12 times the size of Singapore, the decline as of the end of September/early October 2020 amounted to just 1,782 hectares, or 0.21% of the total potential HCV areas.
“In other words, 99.79% of potential HCV areas in existing palm oil concessions in Papua province, whose permits were obtained from the relinquishment of state forest areas, remain well protected," she said.
The Google Earth images below, presented by Minister Nurbaya, depict examples of areas with good forest cover in existing palm oil concessions in Papua province which have been identified as potential HCV areas and are still well protected.
Furthermore, Minister Nurbaya also showed evidence that out of almost 395,000 hectares of potential HCV areas in existing palm oil concessions in West Papua province, equal to almost 5.5 times the size of Singapore, the permits for which also came from the relinquishment of state forest areas, there has been a tiny decrease of around 835 hectares, also about 0.21% of the potential HCV areas there.
“This also confirms that more than 99% of the potential HCV areas in existing palm oil concessions in West Papua are still protected," she elaborated.
The following Google Earth images shown by Minister Nurbaya portray examples of potential HCV areas located in existing palm oil concessions in West Papua province that remain protected.
The massive level of existing potential HCV areas adds to the percentage of forest cover in both Papua and West Papua provinces.
“As I have repeatedly underlined, we should be referring to evidence, not perceptions designed for irresponsible purposes," Minister Nurbaya asserted.
She stressed that efforts to monitor potential HCV areas will continue, especially in the two forest-rich provinces, until the end of September 2021 which will mark the end of the implementation of President Joko Widodo's palm oil moratorium order which was signed in September 2018.
Minister Nurbaya reaffirmed that all the evidence clearly proves that President Widodo's palm oil moratorium has had a huge impact in terms of forest protection in existing palm oil concessions in the two biodiversity-rich provinces.
“It’s crystal clear that the President's palm oil moratorium order has had a huge positive effect on forest protection in existing palm oil concessions in Papua and West Papua," she said in conclusion.
RELATED STORIES
POLICY
JAKARTA (FORESTHINTS.NEWS) - Indonesian Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya has pointed out the astonishing magnitude of the two-year implementation of President Joko Widodo's order for a palm oil expansion moratorium in remaining areas with good forest cover lying in existing palm oil concessions in Papua and West Papua provinces.
The President's immense achievement in the form of his order for a palm oil moratorium in Papua and West Papua can be technically verified by looking at satellite data and ground-based observations.
“The evidence does not lie. The evidence cannot be denied unless there are parties who close their eyes and ears to this evidence,” Minister Nurbaya spelled out in a virtual forestry and palm oil discussion (Oct 27).
As previously reported by FORESTHINTS.NEWS (May 11), she has identified potential high conservation value (HCV) areas in existing palm oil concessions in the two biodiversity-rich provinces, the permits for which derive from the relinquishment of convertible production forests (HPK) which are state forest areas.
According to January 2020 land cover data, the total expanse of potential HCV areas identified in the existing palm oil concessions in Papua and West Papua stood at 1.26 million hectares, equal to more than 17 times the size of Singapore.
Minister Nurbaya pointed to spatial evidence showing that, by the end of September and early October 2020, these potential HCV areas, situated in natural forests with good forest cover, had diminished only very slightly.
“From 1.26 million hectares, there was a reduction of slightly more than 2,600 hectares, or a mere 0.2%. This means that the two-year implementation of President Widodo's palm oil moratorium order has had a huge impact on forest protection in existing palm oil concessions,” she explained.
“It should be emphasized too that almost all the permits for existing palm oil concessions in Papua and West Papua provinces were granted by the previous administration," she added.
Detailed figures
To provide greater detail, Minister Nurbaya demonstrated evidence that of the nearly 870,000 hectares of potential HCV areas within existing palm oil concessions in Papua province, equal to nearly 12 times the size of Singapore, the decline as of the end of September/early October 2020 amounted to just 1,782 hectares, or 0.21% of the total potential HCV areas.
“In other words, 99.79% of potential HCV areas in existing palm oil concessions in Papua province, whose permits were obtained from the relinquishment of state forest areas, remain well protected," she said.
The Google Earth images below, presented by Minister Nurbaya, depict examples of areas with good forest cover in existing palm oil concessions in Papua province which have been identified as potential HCV areas and are still well protected.
Furthermore, Minister Nurbaya also showed evidence that out of almost 395,000 hectares of potential HCV areas in existing palm oil concessions in West Papua province, equal to almost 5.5 times the size of Singapore, the permits for which also came from the relinquishment of state forest areas, there has been a tiny decrease of around 835 hectares, also about 0.21% of the potential HCV areas there.
“This also confirms that more than 99% of the potential HCV areas in existing palm oil concessions in West Papua are still protected," she elaborated.
The following Google Earth images shown by Minister Nurbaya portray examples of potential HCV areas located in existing palm oil concessions in West Papua province that remain protected.
The massive level of existing potential HCV areas adds to the percentage of forest cover in both Papua and West Papua provinces.
“As I have repeatedly underlined, we should be referring to evidence, not perceptions designed for irresponsible purposes," Minister Nurbaya asserted.
She stressed that efforts to monitor potential HCV areas will continue, especially in the two forest-rich provinces, until the end of September 2021 which will mark the end of the implementation of President Joko Widodo's palm oil moratorium order which was signed in September 2018.
Minister Nurbaya reaffirmed that all the evidence clearly proves that President Widodo's palm oil moratorium has had a huge impact in terms of forest protection in existing palm oil concessions in the two biodiversity-rich provinces.
“It’s crystal clear that the President's palm oil moratorium order has had a huge positive effect on forest protection in existing palm oil concessions in Papua and West Papua," she said in conclusion.
RELATED STORIES
