APRIL pledges zero deforestation

Asia Pacific Resources International Ltd (APRIL), one of the world’s largest producers of pulp and paper, has pledged to put an end to deforestation as part of a new 'Sustainable Forest Management Plan'. Deforestation for pulp and paper, and palm oil, is a leading cause of greenhouse gas emissions in Indonesia. If properly implemented, APRIL’s pledge will be another major step by business towards protecting Indonesia’s rainforests and peatlands.

Deforestation in APRIL's concessions at Riau, Indonesia

APRIL’s parent company, the Royal Golden Eagle (RGE) group, has also announced that new sustainability policies will be implemented by all other pulp companies in the group, including an end to deforestation. Greenpeace is suspending its campaign to give APRIL and other RGE group companies time to put these new policies into practice.

Said Amy Moas, PhD, US senior forest campaigner for Greenpeace, 'APRIL’s policy is huge news for the entire industry; along with APP’s zero deforestation commitment in 2013, now over 80 percent of the pulp sector in Indonesia is committed to stopping the destruction of the rainforests. Protecting the forests and peatlands is the way forward for Indonesia and the world, and will bring significant benefits for the climate.'

APRIL has agreed to a number of new conservation measures, including using the High Carbon Stock Approach to identify and protect forest areas remaining in their concessions. The company has also agreed to protect forested peatlands and has established a Peat Expert Working Group to help it develop international best practice for managing peatlands to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

APRIL has also agreed to work collaboratively and transparently to resolve its outstanding social conflicts and to support development opportunities for local communities that do not involve deforestation. This announcement follows similar decisions by other major players in the pulp and palm oil sectors to protect Indonesia’s forests and peatlands. In September, some of the biggest palm oil producers in Indonesia, including APRIL’s sister companies Asian Agri and Apical, agreed to end deforestation. Equally, there is growing support from the business community in Indonesia for a development model based on forest protection.

Said Bustar Maitar, Greenpeace global head of Indonesia Forest Campaign, 'President Jokowi promised to stop plantation companies damaging the environment or harming communities. Yet even though Indonesia’s biggest pulpwood and palm oil companies are moving away from deforestation, the destruction on the ground continues. The government must now act to reform the forest sector so it works for people and the environment.'

Read the feature story on Asia Pulp & Paper's zero deforestation drive here.

Related content