Indonesia launches the world's largest deforestation project

"Death zone" in place of tropical forests: Indonesia launches the world's largest deforestation project for bioethanol

    Indonesia, the country with the third largest tropical forests in the world, has initiated what environmentalists and human rights activists call the world's largest deforestation program. The area of the planned clearing reaches 4.3 million hectares, an area comparable to Belgium or the Netherlands. The official goal is to ensure food and energy independence: sugar cane plantations (for bioethanol production), rice and oil palms will grow in place of the unique ecosystems of Papua and Kalimantan.

The scale of the disaster: from Papua to Kalimantan

    The project, known as the Merauke Food and Energy Estate, is being implemented with the support of the Government of President Prabowo Subianto. According to official statements, the goal is to stop depending on food imports and achieve self—sufficiency by 2028.

However, the price of this "sovereignty" is shocking to the international community. According to an analysis conducted by Mighty Earth and The TreeMap satellite service, deforestation has already begun.:

• - Cleared areas: more than 11,000 hectares of virgin forests and peatlands have already been cleared in the Merauke area alone.
• - Affected area: The Trans-Fly ecoregion is under threat of complete destruction, one of the most biologically diverse corners of the planet, home to tree kangaroos, birds of paradise, orangutans and elephants.
• - Project structure: out of 4.3 million hectares, more than 3 million are allocated for sugar cane (bioethanol), 1 million hectares for rice checks, as well as hundreds of thousands of hectares for palm plantations for biodiesel.
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Environmental and climate impact

    It is estimated that the carbon footprint from deforestation and drainage of peatlands in Papua will range from 315 to 630 million tons of CO2 equivalent. This is comparable to the annual emissions of an entire country of average size, which will put an end to Indonesia's commitment to achieve "net zero" by 2050.

"All vegetation will be destroyed and replaced by monoculture. This creates a death zone on one of the most biologically vibrant areas of the planet" — Glenn Horowitz, CEO of Mighty Earth

Climate paradox: The project is developing at a time when the global community is calling for the conservation of forests as natural carbon sinks. Moreover, bioethanol, although considered a "green" fuel in engines, turns into a carbon bomb when produced using such a barbaric method (through deforestation).

Key project parameters:

The "lungs of the planet" are suffocating: the rights of indigenous peoples are being trampled

    Papua has historically been a "conservator" of Indonesian forests. While Sumatra and Kalimantan had already lost huge areas to palm oil and cellulose, Papua retained wildlife. Now this reserve is under attack.

    Local residents belonging to the Yei, Marind and other indigenous peoples who have depended on the forest for centuries (hunting wild pigs, collecting sago palm and fish) report direct pressure from the military and companies.

"We knew that Papua was one of the lungs of the planet. And we destroy them" — Vincent Kvipalo, a resident of the region

Social consequences:

• - Intimidation: Residents report that the military is installing poles on their lands and launching heavy equipment without the consent of the communities.
• - Exile: Indigenous peoples lose access to sacred lands and food sources. UN special Rapporteurs have already expressed concern about the "criminalization of conservationists" and the risks of forced displacement.
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Repeating the mistakes of the past: the risk of an environmental disaster

    Environmentalists and scientists warn that in addition to the loss of forests, the project faces the problem of soil suitability. The Merauke area is a complex mosaic of flooded savannahs, peat bogs, and acid sulfate soils. Attempts to drain such lands were already made under dictator Suharto in the 1990s (the Mega Rice Field project in Kalimantan) and ended in failure: the soils oxidized, crops did not grow, and peat bogs began to burn, creating smog throughout Southeast Asia.

"I'm afraid that in 20 years people will come to Papua and see an ecological wasteland with ghostly remnants of agriculture" — Glenn Horowitz

Reaction and compensation: "Green" camouflage?

    In response to the wave of criticism, the Indonesian government promised to restore 6.5 million hectares of degraded land. However, scientists are unanimous: secondary forests will never be able to replace old-growth tropical ecosystems. Restoring biodiversity and the carbon cycle will take centuries, if at all possible.

Importance for the global forest market

    Although the project is not directly related to logging, its indirect consequences for the global industry are enormous.:

1. - Reputational risks for green energy: The success of this project (or its failure) will be an argument for both proponents and opponents of bioethanol. If the tropics are cut down for fuel, importers (USA, EU, China) may face a boycott of such products or stricter regulation (amendments to the EUDR).
2. - Raw material shortage of tropical timber: The destruction of forests in Papua means the loss of unique species of tropical timber (merbau, rampin, etc.), which in the long term will reduce supply in the markets of Asia and the Middle East.
3. - Climate Agenda: As the global forestry industry struggles to reduce emissions and achieve FSC/PEFC certification, Indonesia's actions are undermining the industry's global reputation. Increased pressure on governments to ban the import of products from questionable sources is inevitable.
4. - Investment climate: The risk of entering the supply chain of "conflict timber" (related to violations of the rights of indigenous peoples) is growing. International investors and traders will be forced to check the origin of Indonesian products more carefully, focusing on other countries in the region (Malaysia, Papua New Guinea).
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The verdict

    The "food and energy estate" in Papua is a classic "made in hell" example of a compromise where the immediate benefit (fuel and rice) is it is placed above eternal values (biodiversity and climate). For the global market, this is not just an environmental disaster, but a serious indicator of how the climate agenda can be distorted beyond recognition. The forestry community around the world should closely monitor developments in Indonesia, as the consequences of this experiment will affect everyone from biofuel prices to timber tariffs.

Tags: #Indonesia #tropical forests #deforestation #bioethanol #climate change #biodiversity #indigenous rights #MightyEarth #Merauke