“They support violations of traditional human rights for their own benefit,” said a report on the Korindo group, a Korean palm oil giant, according to BBC.
The BBC has previously revealed that the palm oil giant has bought up large parts of Asia’s largest remaining rainforest, in the remote Indonesian province of Papua.
A visual analysis allegedly shows that the forest has been set on fire on purpose.
Palm oil production is one of the main causes of destruction of rainforests and peat bogs in Indonesia.
This leads to greenhouse gas emissions and loss of biological diversity and that people lose access to land and the natural resources they live off, according to the Rainforest Fund.
The Korindo group is now deprived of sustainability verification from the world’s leading green certification body, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), in the wake of the BBC revelation.
The FSC is an international non-profit organization that promotes responsible management of the world’s forests, and demands that certified companies comply principles and rules.
BROKEN: The photos show destroyed rainforest in Indonesia, linked to palm oil business. Video: The Rainforest Fund view more
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Has destroyed 30,000 hectares
An FSC report from 2018 states that Korindo’s palm oil operation destroyed 30,000 hectares of high conservation forest, in violation of FSC regulations.
They say the relationship has become untenable. As a result, Korindo’s trademark licenses with FSC will expire from October.
“We were unable to verify improvements in Korindo’s social and environmental performance,” Kim Carstensen, FSC’s International Director General, told the channel.
The palm oil company has cleared nearly 60,000 acres of forest, an area the size of Chicago or Seoul.
The Korindo group strongly denies that they have started fires or are involved in human rights violations, and say that they follow the law.
STEP UP THE EFFORT: The world’s largest rainforest is on fire – now Brazil’s president is sending troops into the fight against the flames. Reporter: Geir Jone Karlsen. Video: AP. view more
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Will clear new land
2015 was a catastrophic year for the rainforests in Indonesia, and huge fires devastated large areas of forest. The climate emissions from the fires must have been at their worst like store as the daily emissions from all use of fossil fuels and other economic activity in the United States.
Forest fires are often ignited by farmers and agricultural companies who want to clear new land.
Palm oil is associated with the violent deforestation in Southeast Asia. From 2000 to 2016, Indonesia quintupled production, from 7 million tons to almost 35 million tons, according to The Rainforest Fund.
If emissions from fires and deforestation are taken into account, Indonesia is one of the countries in the world with the largest emissions of greenhouse gases. However, most of the emissions come from deforestation and fires, writes NTB.
