Despite a warming planet linked to the burning of fossil fuels, governments around the world still spend 500 billion US dollars a year subsidizing fossil fuel industries. A new study from the Global Subsidies Initiative (GSI) of the International Institute for Sustainable Development looks at the difficult political situation behind ending fossil fuel subsidies.

"Fossil fuels are often the most cost-effective way to provide useful energy, especially in poor households living on already stretched budgets. But the pervasive role of fossil fuels in countries' economies makes them attractive for politicians to subsidize, which leads to over-consumption," explains David Victor, author of the study and a professor of political science with UC San Diego's School of International Relations and Pacific Studies. "Virtually every analysis of fossil-fuel subsidies has shown that most are a complete waste of money, or worse, because money spent on subsidies isn't available for other purposes that yield much greater social benefits, such as education and rural agriculture."

http://news.mongabay.com/2010/0422-hance_subsidies.html

22/04/2010
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The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), a global certifier of sustainably managed forest, has dropped another Indonesian company for the destruction of rainforests. Asia Paper Resources International Limited (APRIL), has had its certification suspended due to evidence of conversion of rainforests for acacia plantations, the destruction of 'High Conservation Value Forest', draining peatlands, as well as continuing conflicts with local communities. The decision was made by the Rainforest Alliances Smartwood, an accreditation program with the FSC.

http://news.mongabay.com/2010/0418-hance_april.html

18/04/2010
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Last week Brazil's National Space Agency INPE reported a 51 percent drop in Amazon deforestation in the six months ended February 2010 compared with the year earlier period. But the seemingly happy news for environmentalists may be premature.

Data from Imazon, an independent organization that aims to improve forest transparency through advanced analysis of satellite imagery and other tools, reveals a 23 percent increase during the period. Why does the data conflict?

http://news.mongabay.com/2010/0418-amazon_aug09-feb10.html

18/04/2010
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Civil Society Submission to the People's World Conference on Climate Change and Mother Earth's Rights

On around 16 February 2010, it was reported in the international media that the Indonesian Forestry Ministry is:

"...drafting a decree to include oil palm plantations in the forest sector to comply with international standards in mitigating climate change..............By definition, oil palm plantations will be defined as forest.........to anticipate the implementation of the REDD scheme".

To read the whole document: http://www.4apes.com/downloads/Bolivia-Submission-15-04-2010.pdf

16/04/2010
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LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AFP) - Greenpeace campaigners abseiled into Nestle's annual shareholders meeting on Thursday to urge the food giant to stop using palm oil harvested from rainforest destruction.

An AFP photographer saw the two activists break through the roof and abseil into the hall with mountaineering gear.

They hung a banner with the slogan "Nestle, Give the orangutans a break!" -- in a play on a Nestle marketing slogan -- and remained dangling about 20 metres (66 feet) above the shareholders' heads as the meeting continued.

15/04/2010
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Adianto P. Simamora ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Wed, 04/14/2010 8:43 AM  |  National

The forestry ministry dropped its controversial initiative to classify oil palm plantations as forests after strong protests from environmental activists on fears that it would speed up deforestation.

The statement was made by the ministry's head of research and development Tachrir Fathoni on the sidelines of a seminar on Indonesian forestry following the Copenhagen climate talks.

"We have dropped it. No more talk about it," he told reporters on Tuesday.

14/04/2010
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