Latest palm oil deforester in Indonesia may also be operating illegally

Industrial oil palm development outside BalikpapanJAKARTA — The largest case of deforestation for industrial palm oil in Indonesia is happening within a concession on a tiny island off the coast of southern Borneo, according to satellite analysis by technology consultancy TheTreeMap. The deforestation appears to be illegal, activists say, citing the irregularities surrounding the permits associated with the concession. Data from […]

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California Leads the Nation in Emissions of a Climate Super-Pollutant, Study Finds

California emits more sulfuryl fluoride, a potent greenhouse gas and toxic pesticide, than the rest of the lower 48 states combined, a new study concludes.  The study, published Wednesday in the journal Communications Earth & Environment, comes after California—a state that touts its leadership role in addressing climate change—denied a recent request to include the […]

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Indonesia’s peatland restoration claims in question as fires flare up

JAKARTA — Swaths of tropical peatland that were supposed to have been restored and protected from burning are among the fire-hit areas in Indonesia’s ongoing dry season, raising questions about the government’s claims of success in peat restoration. The Ministry of Environment and Forestry said more than 300 companies had restored some 3.7 million hectares […]

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