Greenpeace claims photos from February 2012 overflight prove APP continues to clear high conservation value forests across Indonesian island of Sumatra

Allison Oesterle

WASHINGTON, D.C. , May 15, 2012 (press release) – APP has been claiming for years that it is protecting high conservation value forests but has continued to clear them across Sumatra. Images from Greenpeace’s latest overflight in February 2012 confirm ongoing clearance of forests (see the images http://www.greenpeace.org/seasia/id/Multimedia/slideshows/Pantauan_Udara_Kondisi_Hutan_Sumater/). This clearance shows again that APP’s previous commitments aren’t worth the paper they’re written on.

The small print of this latest APP commitment indicates that only a minority of its supply chain is to be included in today’s announcement. If APP were serious about its commitment to clean their supply chain of natural forest and peatland destruction, it would be easy to require compliance from all its suppliers immediately.

This announcement is a wasted opportunity. If APP were serious about reform it would address the issues of clearance of natural forests and peatland, as its sister company Golden Agri Resources, has done. By sidestepping these issues APP has just ensured it will continue to lose customers and tarnish the reputation of Indonesia’s forest sector around the world.’

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