Indonesian President Eyes New Anti-Logging Policies Before End of Term

Novi Lumanauw Jakarta Globe 7 Jun 13;

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has reaffirmed his commitment to fight the country’s ubiquitous illegal logging, and said he will present more environmental policies before his presidency ends next year.

“I am fully committed to protect our forest and and fight against illegal logging, I have to admit there’s still a problem and challenges that need an answer, but they will be answered when public awareness and understanding improve,” Yudhoyono said during his visit to Greenpeace’s Rainbow Warrior ship in Tanjung Priok Port, North Jakarta on Friday.

Yudhoyono said he would issue more policies geared toward environmental protection before his presidential term ended in October next year. He also said the government was committed to planting one billion trees annually.

The president emphasized that Indonesia faced the dual responsibilities of creating jobs and raising living standards for the archipelago’s poor, while fulfilling its responsibility as guardian to some of the world’s great rainforests.

“We can do both of them at the same time, our economy can grow significantly while the environment remains the same. It’s difficult,” he said, “but we will not give up.”

On May 13, Yudhoyono signed a two-year extension to a logging moratorium. The moratorium is part of a $1 billion bilateral deal with Norway to reduce the impact on the nation’s forests.

The moratorium has been welcomed in principle but several activist groups and observers have criticized the lack of enforcement.