News and success stories
Stay in the loop with news of ongoing campaigns and successes in the fight against rainforest destruction.
China: the New Hotbed of Illegal Timber Trade
Over the past ten years, China has become the world’s number-one trader of illegally logged timber, according to a study published by the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) in late 2012. At the same time, major timber consumers such as the United States, the European Union and Australia have taken timber from illegal sources off the market.
Botswana intends to protect elephants
The government of Botswana has announced plans to ban the commercial hunting of elephants and other endangered wildlife. In the past, well-heeled tourists were allowed to shoot lions, elephants and buffalo and take them home as trophies. Hunting as a sport is no longer compatible with the objective to protecting country’s wildlife, noted Botswana’s Minister of the Environment.
Open Letter to Financial Institutions on Pulp Investment
Rainforest Rescue joined sixty environmental and social organizations, including a dozen Indonesian groups, in sending an open letter to financial institutions across the globe asking for assurance that they will not invest in pulp and paper industry projects associated with deforestation and human right abuses in Indonesia.
Sustainable Biomass: A Modern Myth - New Biofuelwatch Report
Biofuelwatch has released a new report, ‘Sustainable Biomass: A Modern Myth’. It explores the certification companies certifying biomass as sustainable, the UK government’s proposed sustainability criteria for biomass, and developer’s ‘promises’ to source sustainable biomass.
Biofuel subsidies: the EU hits the brakes
The European Union wants to limit the use of so-called biofuels, Reuters reports. This piece of news may mark the beginning of the end of a long struggle: For years we have demanded that the EU stop the production of biofuels, which harms both people and the environment. Now, it seems that a first step has been taken.
Bioenergy has no future
A serious setback for the climate and energy politics of the German government and the EU. In their current statement a working group of more than 20 expert scientists from the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina have come to the conclusion that “in quantitative terms, bioenergy plays a minor role in the transition to renewable, sustainable energy sources in Germany at the present time and probably in the future.”.
Even more severe critique against Cargill
23,000 hectares of rainforest in a conservation area for orangutans were destroyed – for a palm oil plantation. The concession is held by a palm oil company which also delivers to Cargill. The corporation keeps referring to their apparently sustainable supply chain. Cargill however won´t be able to dismiss the EIA report too swiftly.
Ecuador: Justice for Sarayaku
Good news from the Kichwa of the Sarayaku region in Ecuador: After ten years they have won their legal dispute against the government. Their right to self-determination has been confirmed. Rainforest Rescue supported the Kichwa with protest actions and donations.
Two years fighting for the Great Serengeti
Serengeti Watch is building a strong coalition of support, advocacy, and funding for the Serengeti ecosystem, for the people living around it, as well as adjacent reserves and protected areas. Rainforest Rescue is glad to be part of this movement and we will do everything we can to defend the Serengeti.
Rights of Embera upheld against mining companies
The communities of the indigenous tribe Embera in Colombia rejected a mining project and their wish was confirmed by the constitutional court. Rio Tinto, Sunward and MMC are not allowed to develop the mine on their territory. The presence of mining companies here had led to the militarisation of the area and to human rights abuses.
Tripa: Orangutan forest is spared of palm oil plantation
Thanks to international pressure on the Indonesian government, the concession of the palm oil company PT Kallista Alam has been revoked. The area has once again been declared part of an official nature reserve. Rainforest Rescue collected 45,239 signatures and presented them to Indonesian authorities. But the struggle for the orangutans in Tripa continues
Statement on the Barro Blanco dam project in the rainforest of Panama
The response of the German Investment and Development Company (DEG) to our “Dam action alert: Please help the Ngobe protect their rainforest” campaign was disappointing. The reply relies on superficial data that does not reflect the realities of the Tabasará region. We will continue to call on the DEG to stop the financing of the dam immediately.
Tripa: Ministries of Environment and Forestry start investigations
Finally, field investigations into the crimes of the palm oil industry on Sumatra have begun. After months of inaction allowing the destruction of the Tripa Peat Swamps, at least some officials seem to have finally woken up. However, it's action, not words that is needed now to save the Tripa Peat Swamps and the Sumatran orangutans.
Mega-mining project stopped in Chile
David beat Goliath – and in Chile the indigenous peasant's community Diaguita Los Huascoaltinos has successfully prevented the contamination of their soils and waters by mining corporation Goldcorp. The Supreme Court's decision to stop mining plans strengthens the minority and environmental rights in Chile.
Brazil: Controversial forest law endangers Amazon
The Brazilian parliament adopted a controversial amendment to the Forest law. This decision is a disastrous signal for global environmental protection only two months before the United Nations Rio+20 environmental conference in Rio de Janeiro. At this stage, only President Dilma Rousseff can stop the “logger law” with her veto.
Ray of hope for orangutans – official investigations start in Tripa
It is a case of deliberate and systematic violation of indonesian law: the land clearance through forest fires set by oil palm corporation PT Kallista Alam infringes the billion-dollar-deal with Norway as well as national laws, inflicting damage on one of the last orangutan refuges. Now Indonesia's Environment Ministry is pushing investigations leading to what might become a breakthrough for forest conservation.
Aceh judges refuse to rule over Tripa Case
In the case of the deforestation of the protected Tripa peat swamps, the indonesian court announced on Tuesday, 3rd of April, that it was unable to rule as the parties involved should have attempted mediation first. The conservationists who brought the case to court fear for the fate of the orangutans and have announced to appeal to the High Court.
100,000 signatures for the sea lions in Chile
The S.O.S. Sea Lions Chile campaign yesterday presented 100,000 signatures from Chilean citizens and people the world over to the Chilean government. Rainforest Rescue supported the initiative with over 40,000 signatures collected in our “Sea lions in Chile: Dying for the sake of salmon sandwiches?” protest campaign.
Handover of signatures against the orangutan killings
At a lobbyist event of the Malaysian palm oil industry that took place in Berlin on March 1st, 2012, we handed over nearly 36.500 signatures of people protesting against the killing of orangutans on palm oil plantations.