Summarised presentation of deforestationBy: Ming Chun, Shang Wen, Chloe and Amanda

Palm oilBy: Amanda Auyong

What is palm oil? It is a red liquid at room temperature but lighter

coloured after boiling Comes from the African Oil Palm First commercially cultivated in

1911 on Sumatra island

Palm oil(Liquid)

Oil palm Solid Palm oil block

Uses Ingredient in food Cheap substitute for bread Make biodiesel Make bread, cereal, sweets and soaps Cooking oil Make chocolate

Fun Fact: In World War 2, Palm oil combined with Naphtha to produce Napalm!

Why do people want to buy palm oil? It is cheap Has a high stability when frying

Countries with large palm oil production Indonesia-More than 20.9 million tons Malaysia-17.7 million tons-Uses 4,500,000 hectares of land-Employ more than 570,000 people Nigeria-More than 2.5 million hectares of land used Columbia-Uses 1,000,000 hectares of land-35% made into biofuel

Why does palm oil cause all this?

Can only be cultivated in rainforests

Orangutans live there

Orangutans run away from the

fire

Orangutans fled from

their habitats

Eat farmers crops

Get shot down by

them

Current measuresBy: Ming Chun

1.Conservationists groupsHave them to promote conservationWhy not working??Factories:

Less land for

plantations

Less people

with jobs

Population decrease!!

DOOM!

What is Indonesia?

2.Signing of regulation President of Indonesia Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono

signed a regulation on an implementation of a national inventory of greenhouse gases. There was a program called "Moving Towards a Green Indonesia" which helped conservationists groups and also deal with deforestation. 

Why EPIC FAIL: Deforestation is not fully banned even though the carbon usage is thought to be able to decrease by 26%.

Fun fact: Duta Palma, one of the palm oil producing companies in Indonesia argued to BBC news arrogantly after BBC meant that Duta Palma done illegal logging.

The rebuttal of Duta Palma Duta Palma GroupWe are a group of palm oil plantation companies that has been established and operated since 1987 under Indonesian laws. We have at all times tried to obey/comply with all applicable laws and regulations.Duta Palma and its subsidiaries have already obtained all required authorisations for a plantation company.To date, we have not received any complaints or reminders from the authorities relating to the above authorisation, as we are to believe that we have complied with all such applicable regulations.

The rebuttal of Duta Palma (cont.) Illegal logging and High Conservation Value ForestAs a palm oil plantation company, may we confirm that we have never done such illegal logging as meant by BBC. If there is the activity of cutting trees, which have economic value, it can be confirmed that such was done by another party or even possibly by local people beyond our control. Duta Palma and its subsidiaries have never done an illegal act or business.For your information, previously the land was owned by several companies before we acquired it, the purpose of the land is as a plantation but they didn't do it properly. By the time we opened the oil palm plantation there was no forest any more, therefore, no more High Conservation Value Forest in that area.

The rebuttal of Duta Palma (cont.) Peat landWe realise that the structure and condition of land in Kalimantan, some of them are peat lands, but we would never opened palm oil plantation on peat land with 3 meters depth, since it is not feasible to be planted and economically damaging to us. The plantation land that we have opened is on the peat land with average only 0.5 - 1 meters depth. Retrieved from:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/panorama/hi/front_page/newsid_8555000/8555329.stm

3. Pressure from conservationist groups’ fans Supporters of Greenpeace pressured companies like

Nestle and Unilever to change their palm oil sourcing policies to stop deforestation as the forests are cleared mostly for palm oil. This helped as companies (which were providing palm oil to the buyers) used less land for palm oil plantations as they need less palm oil.

Why EPIC fail Still a lot of other companies using palm oil and thus

the problems are not solved. Fun fact (not really fun after all): Unilever is one of the

biggest buyers of palm oil from Indonesia but it buys only 3% of the palm oil bought all the companies!

Things to noteNestle (you should know) sells stuff like Milo, Kit Kat, Koko Krunch and the latest product is Nescafe Dolce Gusto (the coffee maker stuff) while Unilever (you should NOT know) sells a range of products like Dove, Sunsilk, Lipton, Lux, Vaseline, Ben and Jerry's, Clear, Cif, Comfort, Lifebuoy, Rexona and Domestos

Efforts to prevent deforestation (not in Indonesia) Brazil Creation of a federal force to fight environmental crime –

for which 3,000 new agents will be hired – and the training of 1,500 current staff in Brazil’s environmental agencies

Assembly of a committee composed of six ministers with portfolios affecting deforestation, such as rural credit and land property policy.

Inclusion of protected area costs in highway plans and budgets – a key measure as new and improved roads often cause greater deforestation

Why EPIC fail: This is not working as this is only among 10% of the Amazon forest in Brazil. There are still a lot of other areas that would be worse

StakeholdersBy: Ming Chun

Who they are and how they uses it Tribes-They use it for home and shelter Eco-tour Operators-they use the rainforest as a tool for

education and for them to show people the beauty of the rainforest

Factories- They use the rainforest as a source of income Animals-They use the rainforest as a home and for protection Scientists- They use the rainforest as a way of discovering

things (like new plants for medication) that can benefit others Government-They try to protect the rainforest and stop things

that help destroy it Conservationists-They use the rainforest as a tool for

education and they try to protect it

Their job and what they doTribes- They help spread around the seeds of eaten fruit They eat the fruit then let the animals carry around the seeds, planting

more of that speciesEco-Tour Operators- They tell people how the rainforest is being threatened and what they

can do to help stop this They take tour groups around and show them the rainforest and how

wonderful it is so they can appreciate itFactories- Cut down trees for plantationsAnimals- Spread around seeds and “plants” them Make trees and plants grow as well as fruits that tribes in the rainforest

can live off

Their job and what they do (cont.)Scientists- To go into the rainforests and try to find good uses for new plant

specimens They find new plant species then use them in experiments to see if

they can be used for medicine or something like thatGovernment- Help with world environmental issues Ask countries to sign agreements that say that their particular

country will stop cutting down that much treesConservationists- They try extremely hard to make people stop mining, logging , etc.

in the rainforests They do protest and start organisations that help save the rainforest

and the environment like Greenpeace and World Wildlife Fund

Their rightsTribes- To not have their home cut down To be able to find food fairly easily To have water To feel protected in their home To have clothesEco-tour operators-

Educate people Fine people if they pollute(Example: Litter) the rainforest. Show tourists the rainforest and let them appreciate itFactories-

Make money Be able to support themselves and their families

Their rights (cont.)Animals- To feel protected in their home To always have food To have shelter in their home To not lose their habitatsScientists- To be able to explore the rainforest (with conditions) To be allowed to observe different species but make

NO contact To be granted permission to explore different parts

of the rainforest in order to look for new plant species

Their rights (cont.)World governments- To be allowed to request countries to reduce

greenhouse gases To be allowed to try and pay countries to protect their

rainforests To put in the Kyoto (international agreement against

greenhouse emissions) into placeConservationists- To be able to at least try to protect the rainforests To be able to protest against non-environmental

projects (things that hurt the environment and it’s rainforests) and not get in trouble for it

Their responsibilitiesTribes- To help distribute plants and seeds so that species can keep

growing To only take what they need and nothing moreEco-tour operators-

Educate people Be role models by not polluting the rainforest Respect laws that try to protect the rainforestFactories-

Burn trees in designated areas (not illegal places) Burn trees sustainablyAnimals- To keep spreading around seeds for food purposes To protect the forest from other threats

Their responsibilities (cont.)Scientists- To not move/change around any areas of the rainforest e.g.

plant fruit where animals are trying to sleep Not to disturb the wildlife inside the rainforests To respect how the rainforest and to not do anything to pollute itWorld governments- To reduce greenhouse gases and the burning of fossil fuels in

other countries To protect the rainforests and what’s left of themConservationists- To be able to protect the rainforest and everything in it To not stand by and watch the environment along with it’s

rainforests be destroyed

Effects if their rights are not fulfilled Tribes- The tribe will die out People will forget about themEco-tour operators- People will forget how they should treat/behave

in the rainforest People will forget how important rainforests areFactories- They can’t help/support themselves or their

families

Effects if their rights are not fulfilled (cont.) Animals-

Animals could become more aggressive because of the stress from everything happening around them

Scientists- Cures for diseases that could’ve been found would’ve

disappeared because scientists couldn’t explore and look for them

World governments- Rainforests will have even MORE threats working

against the existence of them!Conservationists- No one will be there to help the rainforests exist

What are the effects if their responsibilities are not fulfilled Tribes- The rainforest and the species within it will

diminish faster than before because seeds of plants aren’t being distributed

Eco-tour operators- Rainforests will be in even worse conditions Different species will perish fasterFactories- There would be unemployment

What are the effects if their responsibilities are not fulfilled (cont.)

Animals- More animal species will die out More plant/fruit species will die outScientists-

Animals could start acting up because scientists have made with the animals and they’ve reacted badly

Cures that can solve current illness would be extinctWorld governments- Rainforests won’t be protected at ALL anymore!Conservationists- Rainforests simply WON’T exist anymore

Other country involvement and consequences on other countries By: Shang Wen

Chart Deforestation

Haze

In turn leads to

Economic losses

More house pollution

Higher PSI levels

Consequences1. Haze

As you all know, the wide-spread haze appeared in 2010 in Southeast Asia and 2006. The haze is the main effect of burning of land. This haze in turn leads to many other consequences.

2. Economic losses

WHY?

1. Clinic efficiency

To reduce the effects of haze, countries like Singapore have to splurge money, mainly to build more efficient clinic services to cure their health problems.

2. Tourist income

Some countries, especially Singapore, rely a lot on tourists to survive. With the haze, they will avoid coming, and thus we will lose a lot.

Consequences (cont.)3. More house pollutionWHY?1. Increase of air purifiersWith haze, the amount of air purifiers to purify the air in the house will soar. However, many of these purifiers release ozone, which in turn causes people to suffer similar diseases as to the haze.2. Living more in the houseSome furniture that are in the house release harmful chemicals, that causes the air in the house to be dirty as well. They too give off a pungent smell like those of a renovation of a house.

What are other countries doing? Singapore - Provided efficient satellite

equipment and good photos, to view where the hot spots were. They managed to detect 146 hot spots.

Malaysia - Provided fire-fighting equipment that Indonesia lacked funds to buy and able-bodied fire fighters to help put out the fire.

*Please note these were only solutions to stop the fires but not deforestation.

What are other countries doing? (cont.) Norway – Signed a letter of intent with Indonesia. In

exchange for up to US$1 billion, Indonesia would place a two-year moratorium on new logging concession. This is expected to put curbs on Indonesia's palm oil industry and delay plans for the creation of a huge agricultural estate in Papua province, where the Papua Forest is home to orang utans.

Also, to prevent illegal burning after this letter, Norway will set up a system in Indonesia to reduce corruption so that the deal can be enforced. With the money, Indonesia would have enough resources to combat deforestation. The money goes to making the farm land more productive and thus reduce the need for deforestation.

Rate of deforestation in Southeast Asia

As you can see, Malaysia and Indonesia’s rates are the highest.

Worrying reasons A study broke down changes in forest cover by

island. Borneo, which is shared by Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia, topped the list in terms of total area lost at 5 million hectares during the period, accounting for 12% of its 2000 cover.

The most worrying sign is, forests declined at a faster rate in Sumatra, which lost 23.7% of its forest cover or 3.5 million hectares. If other countries cannot defend themselves, I cannot see them helping Indonesia.

ConsequencesBy: Chloe

A brief summary

Extinction of species With deforestation, trees will be burned down.

Many animals will lose their homes and migrate to other unsuitable environment.

Some animals are unable to adapt, and they might die easily. Predators will of course, be introduced and the population will be unbalanced. Thus, some animals might die of quickly.

In addition, when the poor animals seek refuge from a farmer, they get killed or injured badly.

Greenhouse effects Enormous quantities of CO2 are

released from the burnt trees. While the input of CO2 to the atmosphere is increased, its output decreases.

Many scientists believe that deforestation has been contributing significant amounts of carbon dioxide to the global atmosphere and thereby to the greenhouse effect or global warming.

Natural disasters In forest fires, global warming is caused by the

CO2 released during forest fires. Global warming leads to dire consequences. Floods, droughts, earthquakes and acid rain.

Trees increase water infiltration. However, when the forests are burned, they are unable to transport water from heavy rain to streams. Thus, this leads to floods.

Droughts can also be caused during the dry season, because water supply to streams are not provided.

Acid rain WHY?Rain clouds get polluted by the haze released by deforestation. EFFECTSWhen acid rain comes into contact with anything, it practically destroys it. The Sphnix has already some parts destroyed by acid rain.

Soil Erosion Trees with the help of deep root systems are able to

draw water from sub-surface water table. Humidity prevents excessive water loss and rapid desiccation. Plants contribute organic matter which upon decomposition adds humus to the soil.

Deforestation leaves the ground surface bare. Further loss of nutrients might occur. Where remaining vegetation is burned to clear the land and agriculture attempted loss of nutrients is even more rapid. Already poor tropical soil is made poorer.

Soil Erosion (continued) The top soil which is thus lost is irreplaceable.

Nature takes about 1000 years to produce 2.5 cms of top soil.

Massive soil erosion aggravates flood situation in two ways. Firstly, the deposition of silt and sediments in river beds makes them shallow. Secondly, land devoid of forest cover loses its water holding capacity.

About 10 million hectares of forested land can hold enough water to fill completely a reservoir as large as that of Bhakhra-Nangal dam. In absence of plant cover this water flows down in rapid torrents.

Interlinking Chart

Orang Utans About 1000 orangutans have died during the dry

season earlier. Forest fires have produced thick smoke across Borneo. They have suffered from dehydration, respiratory problems, lack of food and even sustained injuries due to the forest fires. The fires have destroyed their habitats.

Orangutans flee the burning forest in search of food and safety, often to nearby palm oil plantations, where they are abused. Shouldn’t orangutans be saved? Why are they being abused? In my opinion, the world should do something to save these orangutans.

THE END!