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| Entrance to natural forest reserve in Bukit Batu, Riau, Indonesia. The forest is surrounded by buffer zones, but threatened daily by incursions for timber and palm oil development |
Asia Pulp & Paper’s recent shift from environmental
villain to natural forest protector has been well documented.
villain to natural forest protector has been well documented.
For ten years the company was at the sharp end of one of the
longest and most bitterly fought campaigns by conservation NGOs. Primary among
these was Greenpeace, with Rainforest Action Network and WWF also very active.
longest and most bitterly fought campaigns by conservation NGOs. Primary among
these was Greenpeace, with Rainforest Action Network and WWF also very active.
This campaign resulted in the company losing an unknown
amount of business. Some say billions, others less.
amount of business. Some say billions, others less.
All major brands associated
with sourcing from them eventually made sure their supply chains were APP-free.
Finally the pressure told and the company relented. Critics say this was only
when the company became self sufficient in plantation fibre in Indonesia.
with sourcing from them eventually made sure their supply chains were APP-free.
Finally the pressure told and the company relented. Critics say this was only
when the company became self sufficient in plantation fibre in Indonesia.
Beginning January 31 2013, APP put in a place a moratorium
on natural forest clearance across their 38 owned and independent suppliers’
concessions in Indonesia. APP are working with the Forest Trust, an NGO, which has helped develop APP’s forest conservation policy and is assisting with its implementation.
on natural forest clearance across their 38 owned and independent suppliers’
concessions in Indonesia. APP are working with the Forest Trust, an NGO, which has helped develop APP’s forest conservation policy and is assisting with its implementation.
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| Pristine natural forest in Bukit Batu |
Several breaches of the moratorium have been alleged since the 2013 moratorium announcement.
These have been investigated by the Forest Trust and APP. Two were confirmed
and reported on publicly. APP self-disclosed the third. In total these breaches have led to around
140 hectares of natural forest
being destroyed. This is out of 2.6 million hectares of APP concession
area.
These have been investigated by the Forest Trust and APP. Two were confirmed
and reported on publicly. APP self-disclosed the third. In total these breaches have led to around
140 hectares of natural forest
being destroyed. This is out of 2.6 million hectares of APP concession
area.
So it’s fair to say that the company has clearly stopped cutting natural
forest. A little has been cut by accident by suppliers, and, in one of the
breaches, forest was cleared as a result of a community livelihood agreement.
forest. A little has been cut by accident by suppliers, and, in one of the
breaches, forest was cleared as a result of a community livelihood agreement.
The Forest Trust is now undertaking high carbon stock
assessments of APP’s concession areas across Indonesia, and what’s called high
conservation value assessments are also underway. The plan being to understand
which bits of remaining natural forest are the most rich in both carbon and
biodiversity by July 2014.
assessments of APP’s concession areas across Indonesia, and what’s called high
conservation value assessments are also underway. The plan being to understand
which bits of remaining natural forest are the most rich in both carbon and
biodiversity by July 2014.
The results and recommendations of this assessment work will
be used to create integrated sustainable forest management plans. These will govern
how APP manages its concessions and influence land use around these in future. A
Forest Conservation Monitoring Dashboard, run by the Forest Trust, allows
anyone to monitor implementation of APP’s progress on a real time basis.
be used to create integrated sustainable forest management plans. These will govern
how APP manages its concessions and influence land use around these in future. A
Forest Conservation Monitoring Dashboard, run by the Forest Trust, allows
anyone to monitor implementation of APP’s progress on a real time basis.
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| Community boat builders, also keen on cutting forest for palm oil and rubber |
So far so good. But will APP’s progress be rewarded by the
market?
market?
Rainforest Action Network believe it is too early for customers
to return. They say the company has not yet demonstrated enough progress,
particularly given past collapsed NGO deals. WWF,
meanwhile, wants to see APP address its legacy of forest destruction and set
out plans for restoration before customers return.
to return. They say the company has not yet demonstrated enough progress,
particularly given past collapsed NGO deals. WWF,
meanwhile, wants to see APP address its legacy of forest destruction and set
out plans for restoration before customers return.
Greenpeace has taken a more nuanced position, suggesting
that customers wishing to resume trade with APP must link contracts and
procurement to continued delivery of the forest conservation policy.
that customers wishing to resume trade with APP must link contracts and
procurement to continued delivery of the forest conservation policy.
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| Fish Eagle, Bukit Batu |
The RAN and WWF position is wrong-headed. Companies who take
embedded leadership positions, as APP now has, must be rewarded as soon as big
companies buying from them can credibly do so.
embedded leadership positions, as APP now has, must be rewarded as soon as big
companies buying from them can credibly do so.
Having spent a week with the in the midst of one of their
concessions recently (and by no means a Potemkin one), I agree with Greenpeace.
concessions recently (and by no means a Potemkin one), I agree with Greenpeace.
On my trip*, documented on this blog, I saw with GPS tracker,
camera and maps in hand, from a helicopter, by boat and on foot, how the
company is the only actor in parts of Sumatra that is trying to protect what is
left of the natural forest. The Indonesian government’s wildlife park,
bordering on APP’s Bukit Batu concession, was on fire, as ‘locals’ (hard to say
who is and who isn’t local) cleared swathes of it, illegally, for oil palm
plantations.
camera and maps in hand, from a helicopter, by boat and on foot, how the
company is the only actor in parts of Sumatra that is trying to protect what is
left of the natural forest. The Indonesian government’s wildlife park,
bordering on APP’s Bukit Batu concession, was on fire, as ‘locals’ (hard to say
who is and who isn’t local) cleared swathes of it, illegally, for oil palm
plantations.
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| Natural forest in APP concession |
The brutal reality of Indonesian deforestation is utterly
shocking when you see it for yourself.
shocking when you see it for yourself.
Rhett Butler at Mongabay.com estimates that overall, “Since 1990, the island’s (Sumatra) primary forests shrank by 40 percent while its overall forest cover declined by 36 percent, mostly the result of logging, agricultural expansion, and conversion for oil palm and timber plantations.”
APP has been responsible for much of it.
But the company is the best chance Indonesia has of saving what is left.
Assisted by the Forest Trust and monitored by Greenpeace, APP really does
appear very serious about sustainability. This is a company, which now cannot
go back on its promises. Palm oil trader Wilmar has also recently made highly
significant no-illegal deforestation commitments. The tide is turning against
deforestation by large companies.
As a result large companies sourcing pulp and paper should
reward APP with procurement contracts, which are linked to the implementation
of the Forest Conservation Policy.
reward APP with procurement contracts, which are linked to the implementation
of the Forest Conservation Policy.
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| National park on fire for illegal oil palm clearance, likely by migrants |
Staples have done this already. After a five year sourcing
gap and a site inspection, the company has taken a bold leap of beginning to
buy again from APP on the basis of further close inspections and Rainforest
Alliance’s evaluations.
gap and a site inspection, the company has taken a bold leap of beginning to
buy again from APP on the basis of further close inspections and Rainforest
Alliance’s evaluations.
Sustainability leadership often means taking leaps of
faith based on both evidence and trends. APP’s commitments offer an opportunity
for buyers to both reward systemic progress and show other companies that
making serious progress will be rewarded by the market.
faith based on both evidence and trends. APP’s commitments offer an opportunity
for buyers to both reward systemic progress and show other companies that
making serious progress will be rewarded by the market.
(Here’s an earlier post on my recent visit with videos and a slideshow of images with explanations)
*In the interests
of disclosure, I should note that APP paid for my recent trip to Indonesia.
(Some additional coverage on the issues with Indonesian forest protection can be found on the excellent Mongabay.com site. Take a look here, and then again here with regard to community deforestation issues)
of disclosure, I should note that APP paid for my recent trip to Indonesia.
(Some additional coverage on the issues with Indonesian forest protection can be found on the excellent Mongabay.com site. Take a look here, and then again here with regard to community deforestation issues)
I'm Tobias Webb, founder of Innovation Forum and Sustainable Wine. I write on this blog, with others, about areas of interest to me in supply chains, circular economy and sustainability in general. I hope you find it useful. I've worked in sustainability for about 20 years, and work with large companies, NGOs and governments all over the world. I often act as facilitator, at our conferences, and other meetings, either private or multi-stakeholder. I also work as a 'critical friend' advisor to companies on strategy and stakeholder engagement. I have a separate wine website on sustainability in wine at 
Anonymous
To be transparent, did APP pay for your trip? Also from their concession, how much land was taken from indigenous peoples?
Anonymous
Did you check other sources than what APP itself said?
How many landconflicts with indigenous people they have to struggle at the moment with in the APP concession area?
At least check this please:
http://de.slideshare.net/sergiobaffoni/paper-industry-and-deforestation-in-indonesia-15589249
http://ran.org/corruption-land-conflict-and-forest-destruction-asia-pulp-and-paper-case-
study-sumatra-indonesia