Asia Pulp
and Paper, one of the largest paper companies in the world, has promised to end
its practice of destroying Indonesian forests to make products for Westerners.
Is this a wave of change or greenwash?
Elephants,
tigers and orang-utans once roamed freely in the lush forests on the Indonesian
island of Sumatra. But bulldozers belonging to companies like the
Singapore-based Asia Pulp and Paper (APP) have torn out the rainforest, leaving
behind scrubbed, welted earth. These tree stands have been subjected to some of
the fastest deforestation activity on the planet.
The trees
have been used to produce toilet paper, paper towels, napkins and facial tissue
for consumers in the West.
 |
| Orang-utans may be extinct within the next 20 years |
According
to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), APP and its suppliers appear to be
responsible for more deforestation in Sumatra than any other company.
"Since
it began operations in 1984, APP and its affiliates are estimated to have
pulped more than two million hectares (five million acres) of tropical forests in
Sumatra, and recently began aggressive forest clearing in West and East
Kalimantan," WWF biologist Michael Stuewe told DW in an interview.
New forest
protection deal
The pulp
and paper giant has now brought its bulldozers to a standstill. In a new deal,
brokered by the Forest Trust, APP announced that it will end all natural forest
clearing in its supply chains in Indonesia. The company has promised to only
develop non-forested areas and will protect forested peatlands, which store
significant amounts of carbon. It also agreed to respect the rights of
indigenous peoples that live where new plantations are proposed.
 |
APP is estimated to have pulped more than five million acres of tropical
forests in Sumatra |
In a
statement, APP Managing Director for Sustainability, Aida Greenbury, wrote,
"Our new Forest Conservation Policy sets us on course to be a leading
world-class paper company solely based on sustainable plantation sources."
Corporate
pressure
Asia Pulp and
Paper's turnaround on forest protection is the direct result of a campaign
carried out by environmental protection group Greenpeace. In 2011, the group
presented evidence that ramin trees from the Indonesian rainforest were logged,
pulped and turned into paper. Ramin trees grow on peat swamps, where Sumatran
tigers hunt. It is illegal to chop them down.
 |
APP produces toilet paper, paper towels
and facial tissue for consumers in the
West |
Greenpeace
named 11 companies with links to APP – many, including Danone, Xerox and
Tchibo, suspended their contracts. In Germany, publishers were urged to join
the boycott, when it was revealed that many children's books had been printed
on paper from Indonesian rainforests.
"The
pressure that Greenpeace made has been very effective," said Julien
Troussier, director of communications at the Forest Trust, a nonprofit
organisation that helps companies improve their environmental record. Troussier
told DW that the boycott campaign was an important step, but it was essential to
support the company as it transitioned towards more sustainable practices.
 |
In 2011, German children's books were found to contain fibers from
protected trees in Indonesia |
It remains
to be seen if APP will be able to draw back its lost customer base. Stefan
Dierks is the senior manager of corporate responsibility at German coffee
roaster Tchibo. The company broke ties with APP during the boycott bid.
"APP's
actions didn't suit our vision of how to make profit in an environmentally
friendly way," Dierks told DW. But he acknowledged that they were taking
notice of APP's move to end natural forest clearing in its supply chains.
When asked
if the company would renew its relationship with APP, Dierks said Tchibo
welcomed APP's decision and would be watching the company's progress.
Wave of
change or greenwash?
Scientists
with the Centre for International Forestry Research in Indonesia said APP has
made promises about sustainable forestry in the past, while continuing to
destroy peat swamp forests which held dense carbon stocks.
"We
hope this time the company does what it promised," said WWF biologist
Michael Stuewe. "But we urge paper buyers to wait for confirmation of the
claims through independent monitoring by civil society before doing business
with APP."
 |
APP has made promises to protect the forest in the past, while continuing
to destroy trees |
But Forest
Trust's Troussier is more optimistic. He agreed that the company had failed to
follow through on earlier promises to improve its environmental record but said
forest protection specialists would be on the ground monitoring operations this
time.
"The
level of commitment is very different," he said. "The level of
transparency is different. They have given access to data to NGOs. We are
deeply embedded in their operations from plantation to factory. There are
satellites monitoring the areas to make sure commitment respected. We feel this
is a turning point for the company, for the forests of Indonesia and hopefully
for the world."
