The death toll from last week’s catastrophic floods and landslides in parts of Asia surged past 1,500 Thursday as rescue teams raced to reach survivors isolated by the disaster with hundreds of people still unaccounted for across the region.
The late... [3957 chars]

The tragedy was compounded by warnings that decades of deforestation caused by unchecked development, mining and palm oil plantations may have worsened the devastation.

Los Angeles Times

Asia flood death toll surpasses 1,500 as calls grow to fight deforestation

Deaths from last week's catastrophic floods and landslides in parts of Asia surged past 1,500 Thursday as rescue teams raced to reach survivors isolated by the disaster with hundreds of people still unaccounted for across the region.
The tragedy of s... [3751 chars]

The floods and landslides washed away roads and bridges and knocked out telecommunications, leaving many communities inaccessible.Indonesian television showed images of huge amounts of felled timber carried downstream in North Sumatra, West Sumatra and Aceh provinces.The leading Indonesian environmental group WALHI said that decades of deforestation driven by mining, palm oil plantations, and illegal logging stripped away natural defences that once absorbed rainfall and stabilised soil.The disaster was not just natures fury, it was amplified by decades of deforestation, said Rianda Purba, an activist with the group.

Devdiscourse

Deaths from catastrophic floods and landslides in parts of Asia have surged past 1500 as rescue teams race to reach survivors isolated by the disaster, with hundreds of people still unaccounted for across the region.
The tragedy of so much death and ... [3230 chars]

Calls are growing to fight deforestation in parts of Asia after devastating floods killed more than 1500 people and left hundreds more missing.

PerthNow

Deforestation in spotlight as Asia flood toll hits 1500

Rivers in Batang Toru were swollen with timber, fuelling concerns in Indonesia about deforestation. Photo: AP PHOTO
Deaths from catastrophic floods and landslides in parts of Asia have surged past 1500 as rescue teams race to reach survivors isolated... [5598 chars]

Calls are growing to fight deforestation in parts of Asia after devastating floods killed more than 1500 people...

The Canberra Times

PADANG, Indonesia (AP) — Deaths from last week’s catastrophic floods and landslides in parts of Asia surged past 1,500 Thursday as rescue teams raced to reach survivors isolated by the disaster with hundreds of people still unaccounted for across the... [3913 chars]

PADANG, Indonesia (AP) — Deaths from last week’s catastrophic floods and landslides in parts of Asia surged past 1,500 Thursday as rescue teams raced to reach…

WTOP

PADANG, Indonesia (AP) — Deaths from last week’s catastrophic floods and landslides in parts of Asia surged past 1,500 Thursday as rescue teams raced to reach survivors isolated by the disaster with hundreds of people still unaccounted for across the... [3782 chars]

Deaths from last week’s catastrophic floods and landslides in parts of Asia have surged past 1,500. Rescue teams are racing to reach survivors, with hundreds still unaccounted for.

The Associated Press

PADANG, Indonesia -- Deaths from last week’s catastrophic floods and landslides in parts of Asia surged past 1,500 Thursday as rescue teams raced to reach survivors isolated by the disaster with hundreds of people still unaccounted for across the reg... [3778 chars]

Deaths from last week’s catastrophic floods and landslides in parts of Asia have surged past 1,500

ABC News

PADANG, Indonesia — Deaths from last week’s catastrophic floods and landslides in parts of Asia surged past 1,500 Thursday as rescue teams raced to reach survivors isolated by the disaster with hundreds of people still unaccounted for across the regi... [3621 chars]

PADANG, Indonesia — Deaths from last week’s catastrophic floods and landslides in parts of Asia surged past 1,500 Thursday as rescue teams raced to reach survivors isolated by the disaster with hundreds of people still unaccounted for across the region. The tragedy of so much death and destruction was compounded

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

In today's edition: NGTs, wine, deforestation
EURACTIV's Agrifood Team Euractiv
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In today's edition: NGTs, wine, deforestation

Euractiv

HARVEST: The deal on gene editing

Former Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh said if concrete action is not taken against widespread destruction of forests, the State will face an existential crisis.
Sharing a clip of illicit poppy plantations and deforestation, which he said was f... [773 chars]

Former Manipur CM N. Biren Singh warns of an existential crisis due to unchecked deforestation and illicit poppy plantations.

The Hindu

Manipur will face existential crisis if action not taken against deforestation: Former CM Biren

Trovador combats deforestation as a tree-planting robot
Meet Trovador, a tree-planting robot that saves and restores burned land from deforestation by placing seedlings in the ground. A project by students Marta Bernardino and Sebastião Mendonça, the autonomous device plants trees on steep terrain that has been burned off. The young engineers propose two prototypes. The first one, which Marta Bernardino introduced in 2023, is a spider-like robot with six legs, each serving a different purpose. The middle legs hold and plant trees, while the back legs have rotating feet that press soil around planted trees.
The front legs of the tree-planting robot that combats deforestation have sharp tips that grip the ground during movement, and then the middle legs have grippers, shaped like a quadrangular pyramid, on the tibia section. A stepper motor rotates to open and close the gripper, while the middle legs both walk and plant trees. The body has four layers, with the top one holding trees. This prototype can hold up to six trees placed in a box made of egg cartons, and the gripper can reach into this container to pick up trees and plant them in the soil, one by one.
all images courtesy of Marta Bernardino, Sebastião Mendonça, and Trovador
Full-scale version is shaped like a dog with drills
After the first prototype of the tree-planting robot that can save dry and burned lands from deforestation, Marta Bernardino and Sebastião Mendonça are expected to build a dog-shaped version of the project, the final full-scale variant. The upgraded model has legs that allow it to climb steep terrain that other reforestation methods, and even residents, may not access easily. The dog-shaped Trovador is believed to be able to plant around 200 trees per hour on its own. It can adapt to soil conditions in real time using embedded sensors and adjusts how it plants each tree based on these measurements. The tree-planting robot that combats deforestation has drills that make holes in the ground to place the seedlings into these holes, and the motors power the legs and the planting mechanism. It follows a smart pattern that allows it to plant different local species in a randomized sequence.
So far, the young engineers are running a campaign to help themselves build the tree-planting robot and combat deforestation. They plan to use Trovador in Portugal first, their homeland, and then later on, they want to deploy iit in other areas that need reforestation. In their findings, the duo says that since 2000, Portugal has lost more than 50 percent of its forest cover, and in 2024, global forest loss increased by 80 percent, with wildfires causing most of this loss. Because of this, the biodiversity has decreased, erosion has become worse, fire risk has posed a worse concern, and the forests, which could absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, were no longer there. Through the tree-planting robot Trovador, the duo hopes they can save their burned land from deforestation the automated way.
view of the first prototype, which is a spider-like device
the device has a gripper that picks up the seedlings from the egg tray and plants them in the ground
for the full-scale version, the team plans to create a dog-shaped robot
project info:
name: Trovador
engineers: Marta Bernardino, Sebastião Mendonça

a project by students, the autonomous device follows a smart pattern that allows it to plant different local species in a randomized sequence.
The post tree-planting robot saves burned land from deforestation by putting seedlings in the ground appeared first on designboom | architecture & design magazine.

tree-planting robot saves burned land from deforestation by putting seedlings in the ground

Early hopes for a global roadmap to halt deforestation pitched by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva were dashed by the second week of COP30 last month. With more than 1,600 fossil lobbyists onsite, neither a roadmap to transition away from fossil fuels nor one to end deforestation appeared. Despite this, however, an ambitious plan for a $125 billion fund to protect forests – the Tropical Forests Forever Fund – is gaining momentum.
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The world's forests are fundamental to climate change mitigation efforts, storing approximately 861 gigatonnes of carbon. In his midpoint press conference at COP30, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres underscored their importance, stating that 'it is imperative to halt and reverse deforestation by 2030 – so nature remains a shield, not a casualty.'
Halting and reversing deforestation is an achievable goal. 'People can be fatalistic and think deforestation is a consequence of modernity, but we've made huge amounts of progress and ending deforestation is possible,' Felix Finkbeiner, Founder of Plant-for-the-Planet, told Earth.Org. While today's forests contain just half of the six trillion trees they did at the end of the last ice age, deforestation peaked in the late 1980s when the Earth was losing three times as much forest every day as we are now.
With this in mind, in 2021 at COP26 in Glasgow, 140 countries pledged to end deforestation by 2030. However, the pledges have not borne fruit. According to the Forest Declaration Assessment, deforestation rates have remained stubbornly high since the beginning of the decade. In 2024, global deforestation totaled 8.1 million hectares, leaving the world 63% off track from this 2030 target.
At a high-level event held on the eve of last month's COP30, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva called for a roadmap to halt deforestation. During the two weeks that followed, 90 countries supported setting up a mandatory negotiation process to see progress towards the 2030 goal. However, what resulted was only an independent initiative launched by COP30 President André Corrêa do Lago at the last minute, to create his own Forest and Climate Roadmap which aimed to 'gather parties and stakeholders to discuss how to halt and reverse deforestation.' The actual decision, meanwhile, makes only indirect references to ending deforestation, staying 'mindful of' its importance. André Corrêa do Lago, COP30 President and Ambassador of Brazil, speaks during an event on the Baku to Belém Roadmap to 1.3T at COP30. Photo: UN Climate Change/Kiara Worth via Flickr.
Into this thicket of indecision, the launch of the Tropical Forests Forever Facility (TFFF), aimed at financing the reduction of deforestation in tropical countries, was 'one of the highlights in Belém,' Mauricio Voivodic, WWF-Brazil's Executive Director, said in a statement.
The idea for the $125 billion fund was conceived by World Bank economists Ken Lay and Garo Batmanian almost two decades ago, refined by Batmanian when he joined the Brazilian government, and first introduced at COP28. Its objective is to reward tropical forest countries that are already maintaining or reducing deforestation rates, but require ongoing financial support to continue doing so. The TFFF seeks to address this shortfall by offering a long-term, performance-based funding model that rewards forest conservation.
'It's like a university endowment for forest conservation. So instead of every year having to beg for money from donors, you provide a big pool of money once, and then it pays for forests every year,' said Finkbeiner. Tropical primary forest loss increased 80% from 2023 to 2024. Graph: World Resources Institute.
Under the model, tropical forest countries can receive annual payments of $4 per hectare of preserved forest – essentially receiving funding to preserve the status quo. This would mean an annual payout of $2 billion every year for Brazil, which is almost 60% rainforest, or a more modest $13 million for a country like Portugal (which has committed $1 million to the fund), with its 3.3 million hectares of coniferous and broadleaf forests.
However, payments are subject to heavy penalties: $400-$800 are deducted per hectare deforested, and $140 per hectare degraded.
'Payment for ecosystem services is not new, but one of the biggest issues is payment for ecosystems that were never under threat,' explained Finkbeiner. 'With this mechanism, [countries] have a massive incentive to reduce deforestation. This is important because it does an end-run around the whole additionality question' – when forest conservation interventions are questioned or dismissed because they are in places where forests are not threatened.
The success of the TFFF will depend on an initial $25 billion sponsor capital from governments and foundations. This will serve as the core of the TFFF's investments and as junior debt in the case of losses. The sponsor capital is then intended to leverage $100 billion in private investments. Adding a quirk to the fund's future, the Norwegian government (which rakes in $65 billion in oil revenues annually) pledged $3 billion – but only if the total sponsor capital reaches $10 billion by the end of 2026.
As of now, total pledges stand at $6.738 billion, led by Germany, Brazil, Indonesia, and France, along with $10 million of pledges from philanthropies and multilateral development banks. Deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest, which is home to 10% of all the wildlife species we know about. Photo: GRID-Arendal/Flickr.
Some details of the plan are yet to be ironed out. Among others is the definition of 'degradation' – should it include selective harvesting, which is harder (for now) to spot with satellite monitoring? Likewise, questions remain as to the investment strategy of the fund itself. Investments are intended to be in fixed income products, mostly debt in the Global South, which has potential to be a huge boon for governments such as Ghana. However, while the concept note makes it clear that any investment that leads to further deforestation must be excluded , it is not determined whether this excludes every company with any investment whatsoever, or only those with 100% of their revenue derived from, say, fossil fuels.
Featured image: UN Climate Change/Kiara Worth via Flickr.

An ambitious plan for a $125 billion fund to protect forests – the Tropical Forests Forever Fund, launched at COP30 – is gaining momentum.

Will a New Fund Fill the Gap Left By COP30's Forest Failure?

Tesso Nilo National Park in #Sumatra, #Indonesia, has lost 78% of its primary forest between 2009 and 2023, primarily due to #palmoil plantations. This #deforestation threatens the habitat of critically endangered species like the Sumatran # tiger and # elephant. Advocating for indigenous-led conservation efforts and adopting a vegan lifestyle can help protect these vital ecosystems. #Vegan #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife
Tesso Nilo National Park, established two decades ago to safeguard one of Sumatra's largest remaining lowland forests, is facing severe deforestation. Recent satellite imagery from Global Forest Watch indicates that the park has lost 78% of its primary forest cover between 2009 and 2023.
The primary driver of this deforestation is the expansion of illegal oil palm plantations. A 2018 investigation by the World Wildlife Fund revealed that nearly 75% of the park had been converted into such plantations. The development of these plantations introduces roads, increasing accessibility for poachers and further endangering wildlife.
Tesso Nilo is a biodiversity hotspot, home to over 4,000 plant species and nearly 3% of the world's mammal species, including critically endangered Sumatran tigers and Sumatran elephants. The ongoing deforestation poses a significant threat to these species, leading to palm oil habitat loss and ecosystem disruption.
In addition to biodiversity loss, deforestation contributes to climate change by releasing stored carbon into the atmosphere, exacerbating global warming.
Efforts to combat deforestation in Tesso Nilo include raising awareness about the consequences of palm oil deforestation and promoting indigenous-led conservation initiatives. Make sure you resist against animal and plant extinction when you shop #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife!
For a detailed analysis, read the full article on The Cool Down.
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This post was previously published on Palm Oil Detectives
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Tesso Nilo National Park, established two decades ago to safeguard one of Sumatra's largest remaining lowland forests, is facing severe deforestation.

Deforestation Devastates Tesso Nilo National Park's Endangered Creatures

Sumatra floods and landslides linked to post-2016 deforestation
epaselect epa12568980 An aerial view shows a section of oil palm plantations submerged in the water amid deforestation in the mountains of Sumatra, Aceh province, Indonesia, 04 December 2025. The Indonesian Forum for the Environment (WALHI) stated that floods and landslides in Sumatra are directly related to environmental damage, specifically to deforestation and land-use change, such as the conversion of forests for various industries, including oil palm plantations. WALHI has referenced satellite imagery as evidence of large-scale deforestation in the flood-affected zones during the period between 2016 and 2024. EPA/HOTLI SIMANJUNTAK

Sumatra floods and landslides linked to post-2016 deforestation epaselect epa12568980 An aerial view shows a section of

epaselect INDONESIA ENVIRONMENT

This aerial view shows a riverside community of the Amazon rainforest by the Tocantins River in Cameta, Para state, Brazil on November 12, 2025, during the COP30 UN Climate Change Conference.
The Amazon rainforest could face a renewed surge in deforestation as powerful farming interests in Brazil – backed by a group of politicians – push to overturn a key pillar of its protection: the Soy Moratorium.
Graphic shows deforestation in Brazil's Amazon for the period from 2000 to 2025.
The moratorium – a voluntary agreement established in 2006 between soy traders, NGOs and Brazilian government agencies – prohibits the purchase of soy grown on land deforested after 2008.
It is widely credited with dramatically slowing forest loss in the Amazon and has long been cited as a global environmental success story.
But opponents in Brazil last week petitioned the Supreme Court to reopen an investigation into whether the agreement amounts to anti-competitive behaviour, a move that could pave the way for its suspension.
The challenge comes at a sensitive moment for Brazil, which will host the UN Climate Change Conference, COP30, in Belém in November.
Scientists warn that deforestation, combined with the effects of climate change, is already pushing the Amazon towards a potential environmental 'tipping point'.
Graphic News

The Amazon rainforest could face a renewed surge in deforestation as powerful farming interests in Brazil – backed by a group of politicians – push to overturn a key pillar of its protection: the Soy Moratorium.

Amazon rainforest at risk as key protection under threat

A Coffee Watch report links the "massive deforestation" in Brazil to coffee farming, and experts warn that consumers could soon feel the effect as supplies tighten and prices rise.
The country has lost more than 11 million hectares of forest between 2001 and 2023 — an area roughly the size of Honduras.
What's happening?
Coffee is a major contributor to global deforestation, and Brazil, which exports one-third of the world's supply, is central to that trend.
"Brazil needs to reverse course urgently because this deforestation isn't just a carbon and biodiversity disaster — it's also killing rains and leading to crop failures. Rains are failing where coffee expands at the expense of forests. As a result, climate shocks are hitting wallets. Brazil's coffee future is on the line," explained Coffee Watch director Etelle Higonnet.
Per Our World in Data, 5 million hectares of forest are lost every year. Agriculture, which entails clearing forests for crops, approximately drives three-quarters of global forest loss.
In a study published in Global Environmental Change, Brazil and Indonesia accounted for 40% of the world's total loss of tropical forests.
Why is the link between coffee and deforestation in Brazil concerning?
For consumers, the biggest concern is cost. Deforestation and rising global temperatures disrupt rainfall patterns and dry out soil, affecting coffee yield and driving up coffee prices.
While extreme weather patterns have always existed, human activities have intensified them, making events like droughts in coffee-growing regions more frequent and severe.
Drought can cause coffee plants to lose leaves and kill the shade trees that protect them, NPR reported. Meanwhile, according to The New York Times, in 2024, the intense drought in Brazil led to coffee shortages, which caused global prices to skyrocket.
Growers also often plant coffee in large monocultures, which reduces biodiversity and puts stress on pollinators and soil systems. These changes ripple through food systems and affect both availability and cost.
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Coffee growing and processing also use a huge amount of water and rely heavily on agrochemicals that affect the health of farmers, consumers, and the pollinators that help coffee thrive.
What's being done about the deforestation in Brazil?
The European Union adopted the Regulation on Deforestation-free Products, which requires businesses that market their products in the EU to prove that these goods don't come from or haven't contributed to deforested lands.
According to the BBC, deforestation in Brazil declined under President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who made ending forest loss a key goal.
Consumers play a major role in shaping coffee markets. Shopping smarter by intentionally choosing brands sourcing from farms that use eco-friendly methods is a solid start.
Discussing critical climate issues with friends and family also sparks conversation about the impact of deforestation and rising global temperatures on the food supply.
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"Brazil needs to reverse course urgently."

Researchers warn coffee aisles, cafes could soon be empty due to ongoing crisis: '[Our] coffee future is on the line'

November 28 - First came the floods, then the fire. As he officially opened COP30, Brazil's president, Lula Inacio da Silva said that by summoning delegates from 190 countries to Belem, in the planet's biggest rainforest, 'the world will finally be able to say that it truly knows the reality of the Amazon'.
And indeed, the flimsy, tent-like structures that housed the pavilions where thousands of side events were held were no match for the stultifying heat, or for the tropical deluges most afternoons, when thunderous rain drowned out speakers, and pavilions sprang leaks as the plastic sheeting gave way.
It was particularly ironic that one of the pavilions that was temporarily closed 'due to flooding' was one representing Pacific Island nations, who are losing their land to rising seas.
But it was the fire that broke out last Thursday, when the plastic sheeting in one pavilion was set alight by an electrical fault, that gave fleeing delegates the most visceral taste of one of the biggest threats the Amazon faces.
Last year the biggest cause of forest loss in the Amazon was fires, which were ignited to clear land for agricultural expansion or illegal mining and fanned by historic drought conditions and forest fragmentation.
Despite a pledge made at COP26 in Glasgow in 2021 to halt and reverse deforestation by 2030, another 8.1 million hectares of forest were lost globally last year, and scientists warned last month that the Amazon rainforest was in danger of turning into a savanna.
Lula called at the outset of COP30 for a consensus on a roadmap to deliver on the Glasgow deforestation promise, warning: 'If the forest turns into savanna the consequences for the climate and for agriculture around the world would be devastating.'
But while more than 90 countries supported a deforestation roadmap, opposition from the likes of Saudi Arabia, Russia and India meant deforestation failed to make it to the final agreement, and COP president Andre Correa do Lago said Brazil would continue to work on developing one over the next year, to present at COP 31 in Turkey.
There was, however, some progress at COP30 on securing finance and rights for the world's Indigenous peoples, who manage and protect some 80% of the Earth's biodiversity but receive less than 1% of international climate funding.
They are often the victims of climate action, with mining for energy transition minerals such as lithium and cobalt, and forestry-based carbon offset projects, often done without Indigenous peoples' free, prior and informed consent, leading to land grabs and displacement.
At COP30, Indigenous peoples were difficult to ignore, with 900 accredited representatives in the Blue Zone, and more than 3,000 Indigenous activists participating in noisy and visible protests in the streets of Belem.
At one point, activists bearing signs reading 'Our Forests are not for sale' kicked down doors to the Blue Zone, where they tussled with security guards before being driven back.
World leaders in Belem announced a commitment to 'collectively recognise and strengthen' 160 million hectares of Indigenous peoples and local community lands by 2030, while the Forest Tenure Funders Group announced $1.8 billion to support Indigenous peoples, local communities and Afro-descendant communities in their efforts to secure land rights.
Fernanda Bortolotto, climate policy specialist at The Nature Conservancy, Brazil, said it was a breakthrough: 'Having this recognition in a COP decision could strengthen national demarcation policies (to legally recognise the boundaries of land occupied by Indigenous peoples) , and even see them included in targets in NDCs (Nationally Determined Contributions), as well as make it easier for international financial mechanisms … to establish priorities for this action.'
Indeed, Indigenous peoples will be prime beneficiaries of one of the signature outputs of COP30, the Tropical Forests Forever Facility, which aims to raise $25 billion in public funds, and $100 billion in private finance, to protect standing forests, with 20% going directly to communities.
By the end of COP30, nearly $7 billion had been pledged for the TFFF, from various countries. Though that sum falls far short of the $25 billion Brazil had originally targeted, more commitments are expected to come from the 53 countries that endorsed the TFFF.
Frances Seymour, senior policy advisor at the Woodwell Climate Research Center, said in an interview that $5 billion had been considered the 'political viability' threshold for TFFF. 'And there are still some potential big donors that have not yet pledged. So I think that, in itself, is a good outcome.'
In another boost for forest conservation, European nations pledged to raise $2.5 billion over the next five years for the Congo Basin, the second-largest rainforest on the planet and the last remaining strong carbon sink.
But Seymour said such funding would only go part way towards raising the $66.8 billion per year in funds that will be needed to stop and reverse tropical deforestation by 2030.
A former advisor on forests policy in the Biden administration, Seymour has this year been advising the Forest & Climate Leaders Partnership (FCLP), a coalition of 36 governments that was set up after COP26. At Climate Week in September, FCLP and the government of Brazil released a forest finance roadmap, intended to inform action on deforestation at COP30.
She said other critical elements in the plan include increasing demand for high-integrity jurisdictional-scale forest carbon credits, (known as JREDD+) and de-risking private investment in forest restoration and other forest-based enterprises, what is known as the sustainable forest bioeconomy.
Belem saw progress on both agendas. One was the COP30 presidency's launch of the three-year Bioeconomy Challenge, a multi-stakeholder effort to enable forest countries to create markets that protect both nature and people. By 2028 it aims to produce a set of shared standards and tools on metrics, finance and market development.
Speaking at its launch, Marina Silva, Brazil's minister of the Environment and Climate, described it as 'a roadmap for an economy that integrates nature, prosperity, and socio-environmental justice as inseparable dimensions'.
COP30 also saw the public-private LEAF Coalition sign new partnerships to sell tropical forest carbon credits from several states, including the state of Para, where Belem is situated, a territory as big as France and Germany combined.
It also announced that Chinese technology giant Tencent had become the first Asian company to join the roster of 30 multinational companies that will buy forest credits.
Dan Nepstad is president of the California-headquartered Earth Innovation Institute, which is providing technical assistance to help six Brazilian states establish JREDD+ projects.
In an interview, he said JREDD+ was fundamentally different from much-criticised project-based carbon projects because it is a public policy instrument to raise finance for forests. Recipient governments are required to consult widely with stakeholders, including smallholder farmers and Indigenous peoples, to agree on how the money should be allocated.
He points out that in the case of Para, which will sell 12 million credits to the U.S. tech company Amazon, 14% of the funding will go to support fire management programmes, including working with farmers to help them move away from slash and burn agriculture to more regenerative practices. He said increased drought conditions and forest dieback mean uncontrolled wildfires are now a greater threat to the Amazon than deforestation.
'Ironically, I think wildfire in the Amazon is a big opportunity (to address deforestation), because no one benefits from it, so there's this collective shared interest in solving it,' Nepstad said. 'And you don't have that with deforestation.'
Seymour, who also advises Brazilian forest research agency IPAM Amazonia, said increasing funding for conservation is necessary, but 'no silver bullet. We also have to shift the negative finance that currently drives deforestation,' namely into companies with high deforestation risk in industries such as beef and soy, agricultural subsidies that reward farmers for chopping down trees, and onerous sovereign debt terms, which have been linked to heightened deforestation risk in recipient countries.
According to this year's State of Finance for Forests report from UNEP, private forest finance was a $7.5 billion in 2023 – compared with $406 billion spent on damaging subsidies, and $8.9 trillion in lending to high deforestation risk supply chains.
Seymour said this could change as companies and financiers begin to appreciate that supply chains operating on the forest frontier, as in Brazil, face risks to yields from the impact of local deforestation. 'Our research is just exploding on how much forests affect the local climate in terms of moderating local temperatures and generating rainfall,' she said.
She pointed to a World Bank study this year that found that the loss of natural forests is reducing crop yields, costing the world $379 billion annually.
Asked whether she was disappointed by the failure to achieve a deforestation roadmap at COP30, she said: 'To be honest, those of us who work on forest issues in the climate mitigation space are used to being … the neglected stepsister.
'So, to have been mentioned in the same breath as a road map for transitioning away from fossil fuels (which also failed to get into the final deal) was actually a bit of a victory.'
She added: 'I don't think the lack of such agreement will hold back the momentum that we already managed to generate … through the FCLP Forest Finance roadmap' and other forest-related pledges. 'What the Brazil presidency has done is to try and simulate change that's going to last. People are still going to be working on this agenda beyond the next year, handing over to the next presidency.'
She added that continuity is critical. 'The world is on fire. … We cannot take our foot off the gas for one second on things like the TFFF, because if anything, we have to speed up … We've just really got to treat it with the urgency that it deserves.'

First came the floods, then the fire. As he officially opened COP30, Brazil's president, Lula Inacio da Silva said that by summoning delegates from 190 countries to Belem, in the planet's biggest rainforest, 'the world will finally be able to say that it truly knows the reality of the Amazon'.

No roadmap to end deforestation, but Brazil's COP in the Amazon delivered for forests

Costco has introduced new commitments, in its latest sustainability report, to reduce deforestation risks in its avocado supply chain.
In particular, the US retail company will require its suppliers to use practices that avoid sourcing from illegally deforested lands, increase the proportion of its products that are certified by the Rainforest Alliance and Fair Trade, and monitor progress through annual supply chain mapping and risk assessments.
This commitment comes after As You Sow withdrew a shareholder resolution requesting greater transparency on Costco's supplier due-diligence efforts.
"Costco's commitment to tackle deforestation in its avocado supply chain represents meaningful progress on an urgent environmental risk," Elizabeth Levy, As You Sow biodiversity programme coordinator stated. "When major retailers take deforestation seriously, it creates positive ripple effects throughout the entire supply chain
Full announcement (As You Sow)

Costco has introduced new commitments, in its latest sustainability report, to reduce deforestation risks in its avocado supply chain. In particular, the US retail company will require its suppliers…

Costco commits to reducing deforestation risks in avocado supply chain

KABUL, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- Afghan police have arrested seven individuals on the charge of cutting trees and deforestation in the western Badghis province, provincial police spokesman Sediq Sediqi said Sunday.
All the seven people were busy cutting pistachio trees in Bala Murghab district on Friday night when police arrested them red-handed, the official added.
Although there are no official statistics on the territory covered by forests in Afghanistan, hundreds of thousands of hectares of forests have been destroyed by timber mafia and warlords over the past more than four decades of war and instability in the country.
However, the Afghanistan government, since assuming power in August 2021, has banned deforestation and hunting wild animals as part of efforts to protect the environment in the post-war nation. ■

Afghan police arrest 7 on charge of deforestation in western Badghis province-

Afghan police arrest 7 on charge of deforestation in western Badghis province

On Thursday evening, Parliament and Council negotiators reached a provisional political agreement on a one-year postponement of the EU Deforestation Regulation for all businesses, plus targeted solutions to make it easier for companies, global stakeholders and member states to implement.
Postponement for companies
All businesses will have one more year to comply with new EU rules to prevent deforestation. Large operators and traders will now have to apply the regulation from 30 December 2026, and small operators – private individuals and micro- or small enterprises - from 30 June 2027. This additional time is intended to guarantee a smooth transition and to allow time to improve the IT system that operators, traders and their representatives use to make electronic due diligence statements.
To make sure the system works well, Parliament introduced a requirement for the competent authorities to share information about significant technical errors or disruptions arising in the information system.
Simplification of due diligence requirements
The co-legislators agreed that responsibility for submitting a due diligence statement should fall to the businesses that are first to place a relevant product on the EU market, and not the operators and traders that subsequently commercialise it.
The agreement reduces the obligations on micro and small primary operators, which will now only have to submit a one-off simplified declaration, making it easier for businesses to comply with the law without compromising on its objectives.
It was also agreed that by 30 April 2026, the Commission must present a report to assess the law's impact and administrative burden, in particular for micro and small operators.
Printed products not covered
Finally, the co-legislators agreed to exclude printed products from the scope of the regulation, as requested by Parliament.
Quote
After the deal, Parliament's rapporteur Christine Schneider (EPP, DE) said: 'The heart of the EU deforestation regulation remains intact. We are protecting forests that face a real risk of deforestation, while avoiding unnecessary obligations in areas where no such risk exists. This agreement takes the concerns of farmers, foresters and businesses seriously and ensures that the regulation can be implemented in a practical and workable way.'
Next steps
Parliament will vote on the deal during its 15-18 December 2025 plenary session. The text agreed must be endorsed by both Parliament and Council and be published in the EU's Official Journal before the end of 2025 for the changes to enter into force. Otherwise, the current deadlines will apply.
Background
The regulation being simplified was adopted by Parliament on 19 April 2023. It seeks to fight climate change and biodiversity loss by preventing deforestation linked to EU consumption of cocoa, coffee, palm-oil, soya, wood, rubber and cattle products.
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that 420 million hectares of forest – an area larger than the EU – were lost to deforestation between 1990 and 2020. EU consumption is responsible for around 10% of global deforestation. Palm oil and soya account for more than two thirds of this.

The EU's deforestation law, adopted in 2023 to ensure products sold in the EU are not sourced from deforested land, is to be simplified and applied one year later.

Deforestation law: deal with Council to postpone and simplify measures

A Coffee Watch report links the "massive deforestation" in Brazil to coffee farming, and experts warn that consumers could soon feel the effect as supplies tighten and prices rise.
The country has lost more than 11 million hectares of forest between 2001 and 2023 — an area roughly the size of Honduras.
Coffee is a major contributor to global deforestation, and Brazil, which exports one-third of the world's supply, is central to that trend.
"Brazil needs to reverse course urgently because this deforestation isn't just a carbon and biodiversity disaster — it's also killing rains and leading to crop failures. Rains are failing where coffee expands at the expense of forests. As a result, climate shocks are hitting wallets. Brazil's coffee future is on the line," explained Coffee Watch director Etelle Higonnet.
Per Our World in Data, 5 million hectares of forest are lost every year. Agriculture, which entails clearing forests for crops, approximately drives three-quarters of global forest loss.
In a study published in Global Environmental Change, Brazil and Indonesia accounted for 40% of the world's total loss of tropical forests.
For consumers, the biggest concern is cost. Deforestation and rising global temperatures disrupt rainfall patterns and dry out soil, affecting coffee yield and driving up coffee prices.
While extreme weather patterns have always existed, human activities have intensified them, making events like droughts in coffee-growing regions more frequent and severe.
Drought can cause coffee plants to lose leaves and kill the shade trees that protect them, NPR reported. Meanwhile, according to The New York Times, in 2024, the intense drought in Brazil led to coffee shortages, which caused global prices to skyrocket.
Growers also often plant coffee in large monocultures, which reduces biodiversity and puts stress on pollinators and soil systems. These changes ripple through food systems and affect both availability and cost.
Coffee growing and processing also use a huge amount of water and rely heavily on agrochemicals that affect the health of farmers, consumers, and the pollinators that help coffee thrive.
The European Union adopted the Regulation on Deforestation-free Products, which requires businesses that market their products in the EU to prove that these goods don't come from or haven't contributed to deforested lands.
According to the BBC, deforestation in Brazil declined under President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who made ending forest loss a key goal.
Consumers play a major role in shaping coffee markets. Shopping smarter by intentionally choosing brands sourcing from farms that use eco-friendly methods is a solid start.
Discussing critical climate issues with friends and family also sparks conversation about the impact of deforestation and rising global temperatures on the food supply.
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A Coffee Watch report links the "massive deforestation" in Brazil to coffee farming, and experts warn that consumers could soon feel the effect.

The Madison Capitols announced that the organization will relocate to the Legacy20 Arena in DeForest ahead of the 2026-27 regular season via a press release on Tuesday, Dec. 2.
The Capitols are a junior men's ice hockey team in the United States Hockey League (USHL).
Along with the announcement, the team revealed new renderings for the project and highlighted what their presence will bring to the entire DeForest Yards entertainment district.
"Today marks an exciting milestone in the story of our organization," said LEGACY20 Owner and Chairman Ryan Suter. "LEGACY20 Arena at DeForest Yards is designed to elevate the experience for our players, fans, and community for many years to come."
A rendering of what the inside of the Legacy20 Arena in DeForest Yards will look like upon completion.
Between stadium-style seating and premium areas, the team's new facility will have a capacity of 3,000 when completed.
The new arena will have a center-hanging videoboard along, improved player development areas, premium locker room amenities, expanded concourse space, team store and full sports bar, according to the release.
The Capitols are hoping DeForest Yards will enhance the game day experience for fans, players, and the community.
To go along with the indoor facility, DeForest Yards will also have a covered outdoor rink that will host hockey during the winter months and convert to a community space in the summer.
The release also states that the entertainment district will include a second location of DeForest's own Aranda's Mexican Restaurant, and Madison-based Youngblood Brewery.
Cascade Development, the developer of DeForest Yards, came before the Village of DeForest Plan Commission on October 28 to inform the village of plans for phase two of the development.
In addition to multi-family housing development for four parcels north of Highway 19 on Pederson Crossing Blvd, the group expressed intention to develop a 200,000 square-foot indoor sports complex on Savannah Drive.
Plan Commissioners were receptive to the idea, and the developer's intent to create a connection between DeForest yards and the surrounding entertainment district.
The proposed sports complex would be just north of the Legacy20 Arena, which is still under construction.
A map showing Cascade Development's plans for phase two of DeForest Yards, with the indoor sports complex identified to the south.
The Capitols will have dedicated locker room areas, team meeting spaces, athletic training room, and operational offices within the Legacy20 Arena. Capitols leadership expects these upgrades to provide expanded, year-round resources for the organization's athletes and staff.
"Moving into a new facility raises the standard for our entire program," said Capitols Head Coach and General Manager Andy Brandt. "On the recruiting side, players want to see the environment and tools they will use every day to continue and enhance their development. The training space, locker room setup, video space, hydrotherapy, and developmental resources will all be great for our program. The new facility shows players, families, agents, and scouts that Madison is a top destination in the USHL."
Capitols staff will utilize multiple parts of the facility for day-to-day operations, including offices, meeting rooms, media areas, and the team's locker room.
Pricing and seating map for the 2026-27 season will be announced later. Group outings, hospitality rentals, and premium seating inquiries for the new arena will be accepted by heading to the DeForest Yards tab on the Capitols website.
The Capitols will provide regular updates on construction, milestones, and fan information through the team website and official social media channels.
The organization stated they are excited for the remainder of the 2025-26 season at Bob Suter's LEGACY20 Arena in Middleton while looking to the future in DeForest.

The Madison Capitols announced that the organization will relocate to the Legacy20 Arena in DeForest on Tuesday, Dec. 2.

Madison Capitols announce move to DeForest

An area affected by deforestation in South Africa, Africa, February 5, 2025. Forests in Africa have been transformed from carbon sinks into sources of carbon emissions due to massive deforestation driven by agricultural expansion, settlement, and mining. Research from 2010 to 2017 shows that African forests lose about 106 billion kilograms of biomass each year, releasing more carbon than they absorb. Doc. Shutterstock
3 Desember 2025 00:00 WIB
Illegal mining in Ghana, Africa, October 29, 2024. Doc. Shutterstock
3 Desember 2025 00:00 WIB
An area affected by deforestation in Stutterheim, South Africa, Africa, January 10, 2019. Doc. Shutterstock
3 Desember 2025 00:00 WIB
Gold mining exploration activities in Ghana, Africa, February 10, 2024. Doc. Shutterstock
3 Desember 2025 00:00 WIB
Area affected by deforestation in Madagascar, Africa, January 25, 2016. Doc. Shutterstock
3 Desember 2025 00:00 WIB
Illegal mining in Ghana, Africa, October 29, 2024. Doc. Shutterstock
3 Desember 2025 00:00 WIB

Forests in Africa have been converted from carbon sinks to carbon sources due to massive deforestation

Deforestation Turns Forests in Africa into Sources of Carbon Emissions

With DeForest Buckner out, Colts' Laiatu Latu gains more attention from opponents
Indianapolis Colts defensive end Laiatu Latu discusses gaining more attention with DeForest Buckner out.

Indianapolis Colts defensive end Laiatu Latu discusses gaining more attention with DeForest Buckner out.

With DeForest Buckner out, Colts' Laiatu Latu gains more attention from opponents

European Union negotiators agreed to delay by one year a landmark law to curb deforestation across the world and soften requirements that have been criticized at home and abroad for their bureaucratic burden and impact on trade.
The European Commission, European Parliament and EU Council representing member states reached a preliminary deal on amendments to the EU's Deforestation Regulation at meeting in Brussels on Thursday. The postponement the negotiators backed is twice as long as originally proposed by the commission, and removes the need for an extra six-month grace period sought by the EU executive.

European Union negotiators agreed to delay by one year a landmark law to curb deforestation across the world and soften requirements that have been criticized at home and abroad for their bureaucratic burden and impact on trade.

EU Reaches Deal on One-Year Delay to Deforestation Regulation

) Today, the Council's presidency and the European Parliament's representatives reached a provisional political agreement on a targeted revision of the EU regulation on deforestation-free products (EUDR). The aim is to simplify the implementation of the existing rules and postpone their application to allow operators,

) Today, the Council's presidency and the European Parliament's representatives reached a provisional political agreement on a targeted revision of the EU regulation on deforestation-free products…

EU deforestation law: Council and Parliament reach a deal on targeted revision 20:48 The Council and the European Parliament reached a provisional agreement to simplify the EU deforestation regulation and postpone its application to ensure effective implementation. Council of the EU (Eurogroup - Eurozone)

The DeForest Village Board unanimously approved its 2026 operating budget at $10.34 million and its municipal property tax levy for $6.9 million on Tuesday, Nov. 18.
Both the budget and levy will see a 7.58% and 5.2% increase from 2025, respectively.
The village's total assessed property value climbed by an estimated $170 million, to $2.37 billion, this past year.
DeForest municipal property tax mill rate was approved at $5.86 per $1,000 in property value, a 10 cent increase from the previous year.
This means that a DeForest home valued at $400,000 would pay $2,344 to the village for 2026. Readers should note that a municipality is just one of four taxing jurisdictions on Wisconsin property tax bills, the others being the school district, county and technical college.
The village's operating budget covers costs related to its general fund. Oftentimes, this accounts for the village's largest expenditures, which are related municipal staff and services provided to residents.
The $10.34 million in 2026 general fund expenditures will be split as follows:
Between these expenditures, $6.09 million is set aside for staff wages and benefits. But, this figure excludes the portion allocated for the Fire & EMS District, which sets its own budget annually.
As of the end of 2025, the Village of DeForest holds roughly $53.1 million in outstanding general obligation debt, below its maximum allowed by state statutes: $128.6 million.
The village will make $4.46 million in debt services payments in 2026, $2.9 million of which will be funded through property tax dollars.
In addition to approving the 2026 budget and tax levy, the DeForest Village Board also approved the 2026 Capital Improvement Plan (CIP).
The CIP covers expenses mainly related to one-time purchases and investments, typically funded through borrowing. This often consists of investments like equipment purchases, street reconstructions or park improvement projects.
Details given for DeForest park improvements coming in 2026
In total, the village is set to spend $4.6 million in the 2026 CIP.
Some key projects residents can keep their eyes out for in the coming year include:
DeForest Finance Director Carol Thompson presented the final draft version of the budget that evening. She explained that while some numbers had shifted from past versions of the budget, none of the changes had any effect on the tax levy.
A final public hearing was held prior to the board's adoption of the budget, which drew only two speakers from the DeForest Area Public Library Board, Peter Zeimet and Greg Gorres.
The pair came to make a request totaling $38,364 to increase staff wages due to a need to compete with the salaries and benefits of other libraries in the area.
While board members expressed a desire to fulfill the request in an effort to support the library, they agreed that it was too late in the budget process to do so while keeping the books balanced.
They instead approved the budget as presented by Thompson, with instruction for the finance director to meet with library staff and return with a budget amendment to allocate additional funding in the future.

The DeForest Village Board unanimously approved its 2026 operating budget and municipal property tax levy on Tuesday, Nov. 18.

Village of DeForest approves $6.9 million property tax levy

)Today, the Council's presidency and the European Parliament's representatives reached a provisional political agreement on a targeted revision of the EU regulation on deforestation-free products (EUDR). The aim is to simplify the

EU deforestation law: Council and Parliament reach a deal on targeted revision 20:48 The Council and the European Parliament reached a provisional agreement to simplify the EU deforestation regulation and postpone its application to ensure effective implementation. Council of the EU (ECOFIN

KABUL, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- Afghan police have arrested seven individuals on the charge of cutting trees and deforestation in the western Badghis province, provincial police spokesman Sediq Sediqi said Sunday. All the seven people were busy cutting pistachio trees in Bala Murghab district

KABUL, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- Afghan police have arrested seven individuals on the charge of cutting trees and deforestation in the western Badghis province, provincial police spokesman Sediq Sediqi said…

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Chair of the House Commission VIII (DPR), Marwan Dasopang, suspects that the recent flooding in several areas of North Sumatra, especially in South Tapanuli (Tapsel) and Central Tapanuli (Tapteng), was caused by deforestation. He urges the government to coordinate with the TNI/Polri (army and police) to investigate deforestation in North Sumatra.
The National Awakening Party (PKB) politician made the statement upon arriving at one of the evacuation points in Deli Serdang, North Sumatra, on Thursday, November 27, 2025. "In fact, when flash floods occurred in Tapteng and Tapsel, and many logs were washed away, it indicates deforestation at the headwaters, resulting in flash floods," said Marwan, as quoted from a written statement on the official website of the PKB Faction, on Saturday, November 29, 2025.
He emphasizes that this cannot be taken lightly. According to him, while certain individuals benefit personally, the community and the government bear the impact. He also highlights that the severe flooding has caused landslides, road closures, and the destruction of bridges, houses, and property.
"We urge the government and related authorities to investigate deforestation in the North Sumatra region," Marwan stated. "Natural disasters like this will continue to occur if deforestation is not immediately addressed."
Flash floods and landslides have struck dozens of regencies/cities in North Sumatra. Extreme rains since November 25, 2025, have triggered flooding and landslides, resulting in hundreds of casualties.
The Governor of North Sumatra, Bobby Nasution, has declared a state of emergency. He stated that the local government prioritizes the search and rescue of victims, emergency services, and the reopening of transport routes. Logistic assistance has been distributed to most areas; however, Central Tapanuli and Sibolga are still inaccessible by land, he said.
Meanwhile, the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) recorded that the number of casualties in North Sumatra due to the disaster has reached 116. This figure is based on BNPB data compiled until Friday afternoon, November 28, 2025.
The Head of BNPB, Lieutenant General TNI Suharyanto, revealed that the casualties are scattered in several regencies/cities in North Sumatra affected by the flooding and landslides. "As of today, this evening, we have recorded 116 fatalities throughout the Province of North Sumatra, and 42 are still missing," Suharyanto said in a press conference broadcast on BNPB's official YouTube channel on Friday, November 28, 2025.
He mentioned that the number of casualties may increase. The reason is that rescue teams have not yet reached some areas.
"There are still areas that have not been reached, indicating that there may be casualties in those areas," he said.
According to Suharyanto, North Sumatra has been the hardest-hit region. "The heaviest impact is in North Sumatra, this is the fourth day," he said.
He also provided details of the casualties in North Sumatra. Based on the latest BNPB data, the death toll in Central Tapanuli is 47, South Tapanuli is 32, Sibolga is 17, North Tapanuli is 11, Humbang Hasundutan is 6, Pakpak Bharat is 2, and Padang Sidempuan has 1 fatality.

Chair of House Commission VII suspects that the recent flooding in several regions of North Sumatra was caused by deforestation.

House Suspects Deforestation Behind North Sumatra Floods and Landslides

DEFOREST, Wis. --- DeForest boys basketball opened their season with a 64-40 win over Sun Prairie East.
​COPYRIGHT 2025 BY CHANNEL 3000. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.

DEFOREST, Wis. --- DeForest boys basketball opened their season with a 64-40 win over Sun Prairie East.

DeForest opens season with statement win over Sun Prairie East

A trio of former Santa Barbara County football standouts took the field for the 45th annual Secretaries Cup rivalry game at Fenway Park in Boston in November.
Righetti High alumni Matthew ('23) and Lucas Graack ('24), along with Santa Ynez High's Dallas DeForest ('24), suited up for the United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) as it clashed with the Coast Guard Academy.
The USMMA secured the dramatic victory by a score of 39-38 in front of a packed house at the legendary Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox.
Santa Barbara County locals Matthew Graack, from left to right, Dallas DeForest and Lucas Graack. (DeForest Family Courtesy Photo)
All three players received quality snaps throughout the game with Matthew Graack at starting center, DeForest at starting slot back and Lucas Graack rotating in as a blocking tight end.
After the win over Coast Guard Academy, USMMA went on to win its Fusion Bowl matchup with Curry College to end the 2025 season with a strong 8-2 record.
Both DeForest and the Graacks will now go out to sea as part of their Sea Year. Lucas Graack and DeForest will be gone for four months, while Matthew Graack will be at sea for eight months.
Upon their graduation, they will become Commissioned Officers in the US Military.

A trio of former Santa Barbara County football standouts took the field for the 45th annual Secretaries Cup rivalry game at Fenway Park in Boston in

Former Local Football Stars Compete in Secretaries Cup at Fenway Park

EU lawmakers voted this week to further postpone and dilute the bloc's planned rules on fighting deforestation, after several member states and industry groups called for the delay, citing excessive red tape.
For European environmentalists, this is another setback after the COP30 climate change conference ended on Saturday without producing a concrete action plan to curb forest destruction.
The European Parliament voted on Wednesday to simplify the EU Regulation on deforestation-free products (EUDR), with support of the European People's Party (EPP) and far-right groups – a development which is likely to have lasting political after-effects. The vote was passed by 402 votes to 250, with eight abstentions.
EU lawmakers agreed to postpone the entry into force of the rules by one year, until December 30, 2026, while extending the grace period for small and micro enterprises to June 30, 2027.
At the request of Germany and Austria, who had previously expressed strong criticism of the EUDR, a review clause was passed to allow for further simplifications.
In addition to postponing the law, reporting requirements for companies are to be relaxed. This includes softening obligations for companies to submit a due diligence statement when placing a product on the EU market for the first time.
Following Wednesday's vote, the parliament will start negotiations with member states on the details of the amendments, which must then be approved by the parliament and member states and published in the European Union's Official Journal by the end of 2025 for the one-year postponement to enter into force.
Delayed once, delayed twice
Adopted in 2023, the EUDR was hailed by green groups as a major breakthrough in the fight to protect nature and combat climate change.
The law bans goods produced using deforested land after December 2020, with at-risk items including anything from coffee to cocoa, soy, timber, palm oil, printing paper and rubber, as well as cattle.
Firms importing such merchandise to the 27-nation EU would need to provide a statement alongside geolocation and satellite data to show the goods did not originate from deforested zones.
Under the original plan, companies who then purchase, process and sell the items would also need to submit such papers.
Amongst others, this would have applied to industry giants such as Italian chocolate-maker Ferrero and Swiss food giant Nestlé, who buy cocoa to make chocolate.
The European Commission later found that these additional checks risked overloading the IT system designed to support the rules, and called for the requirement to be removed for everyone except first importers.
The EUDR was originally due to come into effect at the end of last year, but that deadline was pushed back by one year in late 2024, to December 2025. Renegotiations on the law were necessitated by a glitch in the commission's IT systems.
This resulted in a series of additional changes being brought to the negotiating table: In September, the commission proposed another one-year delay, but in late October reverted to the December 2025 plan, with additional grace periods of up to 12 months.
In the end, Germany suggested the simplifications and further one-year postponement of the regulation, which was approved by the ambassadors of the 27 EU countries by a large majority, with only the Netherlands and Belgium abstaining and Spain voting against.
Subsequently, the European Council - which represents member states - passed the amendment, followed a few weeks later by the parliament.
But are all stakeholders convinced? Do EU companies and enterprises embrace this new relaxation of red tape, or is the regulatory uncertainty making it unclear which path to follow?
Yes to forests, no to red tape
Even if EU member states want to protect forests, some fear the EUDR could hinder their industrial and economic development, which would immediately affect citizens.
For instance, EuroCommerce, which represents Europe's retail and wholesale sector described the vote as a step towards a more workable regulation.
"Our sector fully supports the fight against deforestation," Els Bedert of EuroCommerce said in a statement, "however, businesses need time to prepare for the implementation of the rules without disrupting trade flows or supply chains."
Back in the parliament, the parties in favour of the amendment were the conservative EPP, parts of the liberal Renew group, the far-right Patriots for Europe and the equally far-right Europe of Sovereign Nations group, which includes lawmakers from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
Both the Swedish government and the main opposition party support the postponement.
"This legislation was initially surrounded by a lot of questions ... so it's good that they will be straightened out. This is good for Swedish forest owners," said Swedish EU lawmaker Jessica Polfjärd.
Slovenia has also advocated for simplifying the EUDR and postponing its implementation. Agriculture Minister Mateja Čalušić expressed her support for the EU's goals of preventing global deforestation and preserving biodiversity, but warned of disproportionate burdens on farmers, forest owners, and businesses.
In Bulgaria, the woodworking industry complained about added difficulties stemming from regulatory burdens and supported the delay and reduction of administrative pressure on small enterprises.
However, the Environment and Water Ministry said that Bulgaria's positions on adaptation, financing and just transition had been aligned with the commission's plan to stick to the 2025 enforcement schedule.
Czech businesses have also been demanding a postponement of the EUDR for at least 12 months and the use of the one-year pause to cut excessive bureaucracy, according to the country's Chamber of Commerce. HK president Tomáš Prouza described the current law as "a poorly prepared proposal."
Tommaso Foti, Italy's minister for European Affairs, welcomed the approved version as an "important victory for Italy and our production chains," noting that it gave companies "realistic timeframes to adapt."
Member states such as Austria, which are not greatly affected by deforestation, are particularly opposed to the law as a whole. The conservative Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) and the extreme right Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) welcomed the postponement, with FPÖ MEP Roman Haider calling the EUDR a "new bureaucratic monster".
Rewarding inaction?
The flip-flopping over the rules has rankled not only environmental advocates, but also firms that have already invested large sums to comply.
Ferrero and Nestlé are among two dozen businesses warning this week that a further one-year delay would "prolong legal and market uncertainty, penalize first movers and reward inaction."
Pierre-Jean Sol Brasier, of the Fern environmental group, said the move sent a "disastrous signal at every level," calling the back-and-forth on the law "a caricature of incompetent EU policymaking."
He warned that "we are creating instability for companies that have invested millions" towards compliance and added that the door was now open "for EU lawmakers to eviscerate" the text.
One of the biggest opposition voices comes from commission Vice President Teresa Ribera, who criticized the delay to the EUDR and the review, pledged "even before starting."
Ribera's native Spain has called for the legislation to be applied without delay. The country has recently joined an initiative led by Germany and the commission to support deforestation-free value chains.
As part of this effort, Spain will contribute to the development of a deforestation-free trade portal designed to help operators meet the traceability and due-diligence requirements set out in the EU's anti-deforestation law.
Even in countries such as Austria that are firmly in favour of the postponement, there have been dissenting voices.
Green EU lawmaker Thomas Waitz of Austria slammed his country's opposition, arguing that "the ÖVP's motto is: Postpone, water down and make it impossible."
Waitz also wondered when the ruling conservatives would realize that EU legislation has an impact far beyond their national borders.
The content of this article is based on reporting by AFP, ANSA, APA, BTA, CTK, dpa, EFE, STA and TT as part of the European Newsroom (enr) project.

EU lawmakers voted this week to further postpone and dilute the bloc's planned rules on fighting deforestation, after several member states and industry groups called for the delay, citing excessive…

EU deforestation law faces new setback as businesses warn of fallout

SOUTH TAPANULI, Indonesia, Dec 2 - Indonesian Reliwati Siregar gestured angrily at deforestation

SOUTH TAPANULI, Indonesia, Dec 2 - Indonesian Reliwati Siregar gestured angrily at deforestation... read full story

'Mischievous hands': Indonesians blame deforestation for devastating floods

Rampant deforestation and natural resource extraction contributed to severe flooding after a rare tropical storm unleashed torrential rains on the Indonesian island of Sumatra last week, local environmentalists have said. Syakir Jasnee reports.

Environmentalists: Indonesia floods worsened by deforestation

epaselect epa12568980 An aerial view shows a section of oil palm plantations submerged in the water amid deforestation in the mountains of Sumatra, Aceh province, Indonesia, 04 December 2025. The Indonesian Forum for the Environment (WALHI) stated that floods and landslides in Sumatra are directly related to environmental damage, specifically to deforestation and land-use change, such as the conversion of forests for various industries, including oil palm plantations. WALHI has referenced satellite imagery as evidence of large-scale deforestation in the flood-affected zones during the period between 2016 and 2024. EPA/HOTLI SIMANJUNTAK

한눈에 보는 오늘 : 종합 - 뉴스 : epaselect epa12568980 An aerial view shows a section of oil palm plantations submerged in the water amid deforestation in the mountains of S

The impact of a cyclone that struck Indonesia last week was made much worse by deforestation, according to residents on Sumatra Island. Reliwati Siregar, a 62-year-old woman at a temporary shelter near Tapanuli, the worst-hit area, gestured angrily at deforestation around her home, where landslides and floods brought by the tropical storm killed more than 700 people. This was the country's deadliest disaster since the cataclysmic tsunami in late…

Indonesians Blame Deforestation For Floods, Landslides; 700 Dead

2025年12月2日付けで国際出版連合（IPA）のウェブサイトに、欧州連合（EU）の森林減少防止に関する規則'Regulation on Deforestation-free Products'（EUDR）を巡る動向と出版業界による反応をまとめた記事'EU: Deforestation Regulation Twists Continue'が掲載されています。
欧州議会において11月26日、書籍、新聞、雑誌等の印刷物をEUDRの適用範囲から除外する案が可決されたことを受けて、記事では、欧州の出版関係団体からの声明を引用しつつ、これまでの経緯や出版業界の反応等が紹介されています。
EU: Deforestation Regulation Twists Continue（IPA, 2025/12/2）
https://internationalpublishers.org/eu-deforrestation-regulation-twists-continue/
FEP welcomes the result of the vote on the EUDR in the EP plenary（Federation of European Publishers, 2025/11/26）
https://fep-fee.eu/Press-Release-FEP-welcomes-the-result-of-the-vote-on-the-EUDR-in-the-EP-plenary
Europäisches Parlament für Herausnahme von Druckerzeugnissen aus der EU-Entwaldungsverordnung（Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels, 2025/11/26）
https://www.boersenverein.de/ueber-uns/aktuelles/detailseite/europaeisches-parlament-fuer-herausnahme-von-druckerzeugnissen-aus-der-eu-entwaldungsverordnung/
Publishers Association statement on EUDR（Publishers Association, 2025/11/26）
https://www.publishers.org.uk/statement-on-eudr/
関連：Regulation on Deforestation-free Products（European Commission）
https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/forests/deforestation/regulation-deforestation-free-products_en

2025年12月2日付けで国際出版連合（IPA）のウェブサイトに、欧州連合（EU）の森林減少防止に関する規則'Regulation on Deforestation-free Products'（EUDR）を巡る動向と出版業界による反応をま...

欧州連合（EU）の森林減少防止に関する規則を巡る出版業界の反応（記事紹介）

A week after European Union member states adopted a 'negotiating mandate' to delay Europe's new anti-deforestation supply chain law (EUDR), the European Parliament followed suit, voting to push back enforcement another year.
In a Nov. 26 vote, the Parliament approved a package of 'simplification measures' that includes pushing enforcement of the law to Dec. 30, 2026, for large companies, and June 30, 2027, for small companies.
Adopted in 2023, the law is designed to ensure that products sold in the EU are not traced back to deforestation linked to coffee, cocoa, palm oil, soy, cattle, rubber or wood. Importers and traders must prove that coffee is legally produced and deforestation-free by including farm-level geolocation in electronically filed due diligence statements.
Enforcement was originally slated for late 2024, but lawmakers last approved a similar one-year delay. The latest delay is not yet official — it still requires a signed amendment between the European Parliament and the Council — but both bodies have now voted in favor.
EUDR remains contentious in the coffee industry, which has a history of both sustainability innovation and greenwashing. Coffee has been cited as a driver of tropical deforestation, yet it can also help protect forests and contribute to biodiversity in certain systems.
Producer groups, traders and large European roasters have repeatedly warned that poorly designed rules or last-minute changes could shut smallholder farmers out of the EU market, even as other companies and NGOs argue that long-signaled timelines and clear enforcement are needed to keep coffee-linked deforestation in check.
A coalition of more than 30 companies, NGOs and multi-stakeholder groups spanning the cocoa, coffee and palm oil sectors recently warned that another one-year postponement would prolong legal uncertainty and risk weakening momentum for implementation.
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A week after European Union member states adopted a "negotiating mandate" to delay Europe's new anti-deforestation supply chain law (EUDR), the European Parliament followed suit.

European Parliament Votes to Delay EUDR

The deadly flooding that has killed hundreds in Indonesia was largely the result of monsoon rains and a rare tropical storm. But something else may have played a role: deforestation.

How Deforestation Turbocharged Indonesia's Deadly Floods

With the real political fights already settled, negotiators from the European Parliament and Council are poised to clinch an easy deal Thursday on tweaks to the EU's deforestation rules.
The EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) should have entered into force by December this year and requires companies to demonstrate that certain products sold in the EU – including cocoa, coffee, soy, palm oil, rubber, livestock, and timber – did not contribute to deforestation.
Thursday evening's meeting will be the only round of inter-institutional talks needed to seal a one-year delay and include a clause allowing the legislation to be reopened for further changes by April next year.
After EU governments signed off on their position – which was heavily shaped by Germany – the centre-right European People's Party (EPP) moved to mirror it, aiming to fast-track talks and avoid slipping past the December implementation deadline.
Far-right bloc in EU Parliament moves to delay, review anti-deforestation rules
The European Parliament has largely backed changes to the EU's anti-deforestation regulation (EUDR) that mirror…
4 minutes
The decision to reopen the file was prompted by Commission warnings that technical snags could derail the planned December 2025 rollout. Enforcement had already been pushed back once, in 2024, after a similarly frantic pre-Christmas round of negotiations.
This time, however, MEPs and member states pushed well beyond the Commission's proposal. In their negotiating positions, in addition to the extra year for all companies to comply, both institutions call for a new impact assessment by April 2026, which could pave the way for yet another legislative reopening.
That demand split the pro-EU camp. The Socialist and Renew negotiators, Delara Burkhardt and Pascal Canfin, failed to strike a deal with the EPP after multiple rounds of talks, opposing a review of the law before it even enters into force.
To show discontent with the right-wing alliance, the lead negotiators for the S&D, Renew, and the Greens/EFA won't be present at tomorrow's meeting, two parliamentary staffers confirmed.
At last week's plenary vote, the EPP instead turned to the right-wing bloc – including Patriots for Europe and the European Conservatives and Reformists – to push through several amendments. Some of the changes were ultimately also backed by 40% of Renew MEPs, who broke with Canfin's line.
The only sticking point that is still dividing Parliament and Council is that MEPs want to carve out an exemption for printed books, newspapers, photographs, and other products from the printing sector. However, a parliamentary staffer close to the negotiations said that even if the Council doesn't accept it, it won't be a dealbreaker for MEPs.
(adm, cm)

The Parliament and Council positions are mostly aligned, except on an exemption for the paper industry

What to expect in the end-game of EU deforestation talks

epa12569002 An aerial view shows a stretch of oil palm plantations amid deforestation in the mountains of Sumatra, Aceh province, Indonesia, 04 December 2025. The Indonesian Forum for the Environment (WALHI) stated that floods and landslides in Sumatra are directly related to environmental damage, specifically to deforestation and land-use change, such as the conversion of forests for various industries, including oil palm plantations. WALHI has referenced satellite imagery as evidence of large-scale deforestation in the flood-affected zones during the period between 2016 and 2024. EPA/HOTLI SIMANJUNTAK

한눈에 보는 오늘 : 종합 - 뉴스 : epa12569002 An aerial view shows a stretch of oil palm plantations amid deforestation in the mountains of Sumatra, Aceh province, Indonesia,

INDONESIA ENVIRONMENT

Stientje van Veldhoven is vice-president and regional director for Europe at the World Resources Institute. María Mendiluce is the CEO of the We Mean Business Coalition.
Europe aspires to be a competitive, innovative and investment-friendly economic bloc. Yet the foundations of such a market – political and financial stability and strong regulatory frameworks, as any economist will tell you – are exactly what the EU is undermining with its handling of the once pioneering EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).
The constant shifts in approach to this landmark law designed to counter global deforestation are bewildering, eroding Europe's credibility as a stable, predictable market. The integrity of the EUDR suffered another blow last week in a vote by the European Parliament to further delay a year and simplify the regulation, which risks considerably changing the trajectory and the impact of the directive.
With no COP30 roadmap, hopes of saving forests hinge on voluntary initiatives
We call on the EU Commission to avert further horse-trading by withdrawing its earlier proposal to adjust the regulation.
Adopted in 2023 after years of negotiation, the EUDR is a well-communicated commitment to ensuring that goods – including coffee, cocoa, wood, beef and a few other commodities – placed on the EU market are not linked to deforestation or forest degradation. In effect, with the EUDR, the regulation draws a line between goods that deplete scarce natural capital and those that don't.
The stakes could not be higher. The EU is the second largest 'deforester' in the world, responsible for roughly 10% of global deforestation, despite representing only 6% of the world's population. With that footprint comes the responsibility to limit its impact.
Since the directive passed, companies and producer-country governments have invested heavily in improving the traceability and transparency of their supply chains in preparation for the EU's implementation. Yet the last two years have seen the regulation repeatedly weakened by one delay after another, each defended on ever more ambiguous grounds.
Comment: Investor action is crucial to maintaining progress on deforestation risk
To understand how we got here, it's worth remembering that the European Commission's initial proposal for a delay had a narrow and reasonable goal: resolving urgent, unforeseen technical issues with the EUDR's IT system. There were also some smaller adjustments to reporting rules for micro and small companies directly selling their products on the EU market.
But what began as a technical pause to solve IT issues has spiralled into something far more unpredictable, political and messy. The new proposals approved by the EU Parliament now include another delay until the end of 2026 and a potential review of the impact of the regulation in April 2026, before it even comes into force. This would effectively open it back up for negotiation.
What makes the EU's capriciousness even more glaring are the near-simultaneous pleas at COP30 in Belém, made in front of many EU states, by Brazil's President Lula and Environment Minister Marina Silva: to adopt a concrete, time-bound global forest roadmap to halt and reverse deforestation by 2030.
Their message was stark: the Amazon has suffered one of its most extreme droughts on record, accompanied by over 140,000 fires, mostly linked to land clearing for agriculture.
According to WRI's Global Forest Watch, the world lost 6.7 million hectares of primary rainforest in 2024 alone – an area roughly the size of Ireland, or 18 football fields every minute. Emissions from these fires alone exceed India's annual fossil fuel combustion.
Being there, on the edge of the Amazon's vast and breathtakingly biodiverse expanse, made the EU's change of direction even more baffling to us. We see three major shortcomings in the EUDR proposals under consideration:
First, the proposal undermines market stability and business certainty. Major multinationals, including Nestlé, Mars, Ferrero, Danone, Olam Agri and Barry Callebaut have publicly warned against delaying the EUDR or inserting a review clause that would alter the contents of the law. They have invested heavily in traceability systems, supply-chain mapping and partnerships with producer countries, all under the assumption that the EUDR would be implemented as agreed. Reversing course now erodes trust, not just in the EUDR, but in the EU's broader predictability as a market.
Second, delay allows European consumers to continue unknowingly driving deforestation. Most Europeans strongly reject the idea that their everyday purchases – from coffee and chocolate to steak or rubber tires – could be linked to forest destruction. Without the law in force, this environmental harm remains hidden in routine purchases, stripping consumers of their agency to 'vote' with their wallets.
Third, postponing the EUDR will slow global progress to halt and reverse deforestationat a moment when forests need urgent protection. Rainforests are far more than carbon reserves; they are the lungs and lifeblood of our planet, powering the global water cycle, sending rain across continents, and sustaining agriculture, rivers and food production for billions of people worldwide.
The EUDR is not perfect, but the position of the EU Council and Parliament will only lead to more uncertainty. In previous cases, where the political compromise drifted far from the European Commission proposal, it has used its prerogative to withdraw an amended proposition.

Constant weakening and delays to the landmark EU deforestation regulation pose a threat to rainforests and erode Europe's credibility as a stable, predictable market Weakening and delaying the EUDR…

Europe must defend its deforestation law - for forests, business and its reputation

This article is based on content provided by agencies participating in the European Newsroom (ENR), including the Bulgarian News Agency.
Protecting forests should be in everyone's interest. But the EU's deforestation rules pit member states, environmentalists and interest groups against each other. For now, those in favour of simplification and weaker rules have won out.
European Union lawmakers voted to further postpone and dilute the bloc's planned rules on fighting deforestation. Several member states as well as industry groups had called for the delay, citing excessive red tape. For European environmentalists, this is another setback after the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) ended on Saturday, also without producing a concrete action plan to curb forest destruction.
The European Parliament voted on Wednesday to simplify the EU Regulation on deforestation-free products (EUDR), with support of the European People's Party (EPP) and far-right groups – a development which is likely to have lasting political aftereffects as well. The vote was passed by 402 votes to 250, with eight abstentions.
MEPs agreed to postpone the entry into force of the rules by one year, until 30 December 2026, with an additional six-month grace period for small and micro enterprises, ending on 30 June 2027. At the request of Germany and Austria, who had previously expressed strong criticism of the EUDR, a review clause was also passed, which will be carried out by April 30, 2026 to allow for further simplifications.
In addition to postponing the law, reporting requirements for companies are to be relaxed. This includes softening obligations for companies to submit a due diligence statement when placing a product on the EU market for the first time.
Following Wednesday's vote, the European Parliament will start negotiations with member states on the details of the amendments, which must then be approved by the European Parliament and the Council and published in the Official Journal of the EU by the end of 2025 for the one-year postponement to enter into force.
Delayed once, delayed twice
Adopted in 2023, the EUDR was hailed by green groups as a major breakthrough in the fight to protect nature and combat climate change. The law bans goods produced using deforested land after December 2020, with at-risk items including anything from coffee to cocoa, soy, timber, palm oil, printing paper and rubber, as well as cattle.
Additionally, firms importing such merchandise to the 27-nation European Union would need to provide a statement alongside geolocation and satellite data to show the goods did not originate from deforested zones.
Under the original plan, companies who then purchase, process and sell the items would also need to submit such papers. Amongst others, this would have applied to industry giants such as Italian chocolate-maker Ferrero and Swiss food giant Nestlé, who buy cocoa to make chocolates.
The European Commission later found that these additional checks risked overloading the IT system designed to support the rules, and called for the requirement to be removed for everyone except first importers.
The EUDR was originally due to come into effect at the end of last year, but that deadline was pushed back by one year in late 2024 to December 2025. Renegotiations on the law were necessitated by a glitch in the IT systems at the European Commission.
This resulted in a series of additional changes being brought to the negotiating table: In September 2025, the Commission proposed another one-year delay, but in late October walked this back to sticking to the December 2025 plan, with additional grace periods of up to 12 months.
In the end, Germany suggested the simplifications and further one-year postponement of the regulation, which was approved by the ambassadors of the 27 EU countries by a large majority, with only the Netherlands and Belgium abstaining and Spain voting against. Subsequently, both the European Council in mid-November and the European Parliament a few weeks later passed the amendment.
But are all stakeholders convinced? Do EU companies and enterprises embrace this new relaxation of red tape, or is the regulatory uncertainty making it unclear which path to follow?
Yes to forests, no to red tape
Even if EU member states want to protect forests, some fear the EUDR could hinder their industrial and economic development, which would immediately affect citizens.
For instance, in Europe's retail and wholesale sector, represented by EuroCommerce, the vote was described as a step towards a more workable regulation. 'Our sector fully supports the fight against deforestation,' a statement by Els Bedert, Director for Product Policy and Sustainability read, 'however, businesses need time to prepare for the implementation of the rules without disrupting trade flows or supply chains.'
Back in the European Parliament, the parties in favour of the amendment were the conservative EPP, parts of the liberal Renew group, the far-right Patriots for Europe and the equally far-right Europe of Sovereign Nations group, which includes lawmakers from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
Both the Swedish government and the main opposition party support the postponement. 'This legislation was initially surrounded by a lot of questions and question marks, so it's good that they will be straightened out. This is good for Swedish forest owners,' said Swedish EPP-MEP Jessica Polfjärd. Also, some Swedish Social Democrats were among the few in the Socialist and Democrats group (S&D) to vote in favour of the amendment.
Slovenia is another EU member state that has advocated for simplifying the EUDR and postponing its implementation. Agriculture Minister Mateja Čalušić expressed her support for the EU's goals of preventing global deforestation and preserving biodiversity, but has warned of disproportionate burdens on farmers, forest owners, and businesses.
In Bulgaria, the woodworking industry also complained about added difficulties stemming from regulatory burdens, including implementation of the EUDR, and had called thus for the 12-month delay of core obligations and for reduced administrative pressure on small and micro enterprises. However, the Environment and Water Ministry said that Bulgaria's positions on adaptation, financing, and just transition had been aligned with the Commission's plan to stick to the 2025 enforcement schedule.
Czech businesses have also been demanding an immediate postponement of the EUDR for at least 12 months and the use of the one-year pause to cut excessive bureaucracy, according to the country's Chamber of Commerce (HK). Tomáš Prouza, HK president and head of the Czech Confederation of Commerce and Tourism (SOCR), described the current law as 'a poorly prepared proposal'.
Tommaso Foti, Italy's Minister for European Affairs, shared in a statement that '[the approved version] is an important victory for Italy and our production chains, (…) and it gives companies realistic timeframes to adapt, protecting competitiveness, employment and production continuity'. Foti also stressed that this was the direction the government of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni wanted to pursue, protecting 'those who create value, jobs and development'.
Member states such as Austria, which are not greatly affected by deforestation, are particularly opposed to the law as a whole. The conservative Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) and the extreme right Freedom Party of Austria (FPÖ) expressly welcomed and supported the postponement, with FPÖ MEP Roman Haider calling the EUDR a 'new bureaucratic monster'.
Rewarding inaction?
The flip-flopping over the rules has also rankled not only environmental advocates, but also firms that have already invested large sums to comply.
Ferrero and Nestlé are among two dozen businesses that warned this week a further one-year delay would 'prolong legal and market uncertainty, penalise first movers, and reward inaction'.
Pierre-Jean Sol Brasier, of the Fern environmental group, said the move sent a 'disastrous signal at every level', calling the back and forth on the law 'a caricature of incompetent EU policymaking'. He then warned that 'we are creating instability for companies that have invested millions' towards compliance and added that the door was now open 'for EU lawmakers to eviscerate' the text.
One of the biggest opposition voices comes from the European Commission's Executive Vice-President for a Clean, Just and Competitive Transition, the Spaniard Teresa Ribera, who criticised the delay and review to the EUDR 'even before starting'.
Beyond the pressure exerted by Ribera to implement the regulation as soon as possible, Spain has called for the legislation to be applied without delay. In addition, the country has recently joined the initiative led by Germany and the European Commission to support Deforestation-Free Value Chains.
As part of this effort, Spain will contribute to the development of a Deforestation-Free Trade Portal designed to help operators meet the traceability and due-diligence requirements set out in the EU's anti-deforestation law.
Even in countries such as Austria that are firmly in favour of the postponement, there have been dissenting voices.
Austrian Green MEP Thomas Waitz slammed the opposition of his country's ruling centre-right party to the forest-saving plans saying that 'the ÖVP's motto is: postpone, water down and make it impossible'. Waitz also expressed his concerns about when the ruling conservatives would realise that EU legislation has an impact far beyond their national borders.

This article is based on content provided by agencies participating in the European Newsroom (ENR), including the Bulgarian News Agency. Protecting forests should be in everyone's interest. But the…

Strike Two: EU Deforestation Law Faces Fresh Setback as Businesses Warn of Economic Fallout

BEIJING, Dec. 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A milestone for global sustainable trade was announced on Forest Action Day (Nov 18) at COP30, confirming that China has received its first shipment of independently verified deforestation and conversion free (vDCF) beef from Brazil. The confirmation underscores China's growing demand for responsibly sourced commodities and the significance of this development.
The verification was conducted by BDO which also audits MBRF, the exporting company in Brazil, and its full monitoring system under the Boi na Linha protocol and the DCF criteria developed by WWF and partners. The beef undergoes strict traceability from origin to slaughter, covering direct and indirect suppliers with daily geospatial monitoring. This ensures no sourcing from deforested or embargoed areas, protected regions or Indigenous lands, while maintaining full socioenvironmental compliance. The system's rigor surpasses previous industry standards.
Lunyan Lu, CEO of WWF China stressed that this achievement results from joint efforts by WWF China, WWF Brazil and other partners. As the world marks a decade of the Paris Agreement, China's concrete purchasing decisions are becoming pivotal drivers in accelerating the global shift toward deforestation-free supply chains. By sending a strong demand signal for DCF products, China is reshaping market expectations.
WWF played a key facilitating role, strengthening dialogue and technical cooperation between Chinese and Brazilian stakeholders. Through ongoing engagement with Chinese companies to commit to and act on sustainable sourcing-and by promoting green trade standards aligned with AFi-WWF helped create clear market signals from China. These signals prompted producer-side responses in Brazil and advanced critical milestones toward DCF supply chains.
Mauricio Voivodic, Executive Director of WWF-Brazil added that China and Brazil are increasingly influential in global climate governance. China's interest in DCF products signals to Brazilian producers that adopting DCF measures offers a competitive advantage in a high-demand market.
GAO Guan, Vice President, China Meat Association (CMA) affirmed that over the past decade, CMA and WWF issued the China Meat Sustainable Development Declaration, created the group standard Green Trade Specifications for the Meat Industry, certified"Green Trade Demonstration Enterprises",and advanced green supply chain transformation. Brazil's first verified DCF beef shipment highlights these efforts and marks China's shift to verifiable, traceable green meat trade.
By prioritizing deforestation-free sourcing, China and Brazil together demonstrate leadership in aligning economic development with environmental integrity, offering credible solutions to global deforestation challenges.
Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2837358/David_Bebber_WWF_UK.jpg

BEIJING, Dec. 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A milestone for global sustainable trade was announced on Forest Action Day (Nov 18) at COP30, confirming that China has received its first shipment of

China has received the first verified deforestation and conversion free (vDCF) beef shipment from Brazil

DEFOREST, Wis. -- The Madison Capitols will have a new home next season.
The Capitols, who for the last seven years have played at Bob Suter's Capitol Ice Arena (now Bob Suter's LEGACY20 Arena), will move to the new LEGACY20 Arena at Deforest Yards for the 2026-27 season.
The arena, which is still under construction, is expected to seat about 3,000 people with stadium-style seating and premium areas. There will be a center-hanging videoboard, expanded concourse space and upgraded locker room amenities.
"Moving into a new facility raises the standard for our entire program," Capitols head coach and general manager Andy Brandt said. "
The new facility shows players, families, agents, and scouts that Madison is a top destination in the USHL."
The new arena will also feature dedicated locker room areas, team meeting spaces, a training room and operational offices dedicated for the Capitols. The facility will sit at the heart of the planned DeForest Yards entertainment district, which will include restaurants, retail spaces, apartments and a covered outdoor community space that will be used for hockey in the winter and events in the summer.
"With this transition, we are proud to continue supporting the Middleton community by increasing ice availability," LEGACY20 Owner and Chairman Ryan Suter said. "This expansion allows us to carry my dad's mission forward, opening doors for more kids, families, and young athletes on both sides of the city."
Ticket pricing and a seating map for the first season in DeForest will be announced at a later date.
The Capitols are 18 games into their 2025-26 season and are off to a flying start. They hold a 12-6-0-2 record and have not dropped a game in regulation since Halloween.
​COPYRIGHT 2025 BY CHANNEL 3000. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.

DEFOREST, Wis. -- The Madison Capitols will have a new home next season.

Madison Capitols to relocate to DeForest for 2026-27 season

Sharing a clip of illicit poppy plantations and deforestation, which he said was from Kangpokpi, Singh said the video showed why recurrent floods were taking place in the state.

Environment News Manipur Deforestation: Ex-CM Biren Singh warns the state faces an existential crisis if authorities fail to curb poppy farming and forest destruction.

Manipur will face existential crisis if action not taken against deforestation: Former CM Biren Singh

As DeForest Village Board members and zoning commissioners review QTS Data Systems' proposal for a campus on nearly 1,600 acres currently in the Town of Vienna, they will likely look at the fiscal, economic and environmental impacts.
And they'll consider how the campus will affect neighbors in terms of the view, noise and lighting. They'll also weigh things like energy and water usage.
But one would imagine another consideration for Town of Vienna supervisors, who voted against signing a cooperation agreement that would have guaranteed the town nearly $40 million over the next 15 years – annually more than Vienna's budget.
The cooperative agreement came with one caveat: It required Vienna supervisors to support the annexation. That may have been too much of a concession.
QTS' annexation of 1,600 acres spells the potential for DeForest to swallow the entire town one bite at a time. Where the interstate was once the dividing line between the two municipalities, the village has slowly annexed land beyond that. And, every annexation to the west moves DeForest further into the town, with more of its property contiguous and up for annexation.
Why should that matter?
Vienna is home to farms and natural resource areas. They include wetlands for groundwater recharge with bird migratory paths along Hwy. V. Each spring, birders from throughout Wisconsin can be found at the highway's intersection with Patton Road spotting egrets, white pelicans and other feathered visitors.
That's when the turtles and frogs return, and sometimes the sound of the spring peepers is deafening.
An annexation of 1,600 acres for the QTS campus will have ramifications far into the future for all of northern Dane County and its ecosystem. It could lead to further loss of farmland and natural areas.
Yet data center campus brings the prospect of economic growth to the area, and would fill a need. No one is going to stop using online banking, health records or email anytime soon. All that data has to be stored somewhere, and with AI, we generate more data each minute.
QTS is working hard to ease the campus' impacts on the neighbors, and to be a responsible corporate citizen through its partnership with the University of Wisconsin.
But all of the costs should be considered and mitigated, and one of those is the potential loss of DeForest's neighboring town.
One solution would be for the municipalities to renew a boundary agreement that limits future areas for annexation. Perhaps, with the economic incentive from QTS to the village, DeForest can take a pause on further development to the west and work with Vienna.
Otherwise, Vienna's unique landscape will be in jeopardy, along with its natural areas.

As DeForest Village Board members and zoning commissioners review QTS Data Systems' proposal for a campus on nearly 1,600 acres currently in the Town of Vienna, they will likely look

Consider all costs of QTS annexation, including loss of Vienna

Indonesia is recovering from deadly floods that killed over 700 people, with experts blaming widespread deforestation for worsening the disaster. Forest loss, driven by timber extraction and palm oil farming, left land unstable and prone to erosion.
Video by:
Luke SHRAGO

Indonesia is recovering from deadly floods that killed over 700 people, with experts blaming widespread deforestation for worsening the disaster. Forest loss, driven by timber extraction and palm oil farming, left land unstable and prone to erosion. Luke SHRAGO.

Deforestation fuels Indonesia floods

STORY: Deforestation and natural resource extraction fueled severe flooding on Indonesia's island of Sumatra after last week's rare tropical storm.
That is according to local environmental groups.
Official numbers show more than 700 people have died in landslides and flash floods.
Tommy Adam is the head of environmental advocacy at the Indonesian Forum for the Environment, or WALHI.
"This disaster was not a natural disaster. This is an ecological disaster caused by the mismanagement of natural resources by the government. WALHI West Sumatra has calculated that in West Sumatra alone, the deforested area from 2001 until 2024 has reached 800,000 acres of wet forest."
:: WALHI Sumbar
Indonesia, the largest economy in Southeast Asia, has long faced criticism for deforestation.
It is home to thick tropical rainforests, many of which have been heavily logged.
Now the country aims to reverse some of the damage, but still relies on natural resources to grow its economy.
From 2001 to 2024, North Sumatra province lost around 4 million acres of tree cover.
That's 28% of the tree cover area in 2000, according to international monitoring group Global Forest Watch.
David Gaveau is an environmental researcher.
"It really started in the late 60s. The forest started to be exploited for its timber, its natural timber. And once all the good valuable timber was exploited, was extracted, then the forest didn't really have economic value anymore in people's eyes. So it got converted to oil palm primarily, but also to acacia and eucalyptus plantations for pulp and paper."
"So now we've got an island that has 25 percent of its landmass still covered in forest. That represents 11.7 million hectares of forest left. That's 25 percent of the total landmass of Sumatra. This is the island of Indonesia that has had the most deforestation indeed, yes."
Many people in the flood zone share the concerns.
This resident describes illegal loggers as "people with mischievous hands", and blames them for the massive amount of timber swept away by the floods.
Now Indonesia's environment ministry says it will question eight companies operating in the flood-affected areas in relation to logging, mining and palm plantations.
That's according to local media reports, which did not name specific companies or projects.
Indonesia's forestry and environment ministries did not reply to a Reuters request for comment.

STORY: Deforestation and natural resource extraction fueled severe flooding on Indonesia's island of Sumatra after last week's rare tropical storm. That is according to local...

Sharing a clip of illicit poppy plantations and deforestation, which he said was from Kangpokpi, former Chief Minister N. Biren Singh said the video showed why recurrent floods were taking place in the State

Sharing a clip of illicit poppy plantations and deforestation, which he said was from Kangpokpi, former Chief Minister N. Biren Singh said the video showed why recurrent floods were taking place in…

The failure of COP30 to secure a global deforestation roadmap has again exposed the gulf between political ambition and climate urgency. For institutional investors, the omission underscores a more structural reality: nature-related financial risks — from deforestation to biodiversity loss — are escalating faster than governments can manage.
This dynamic is reinforced by the EU's revised Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR), which is shifting towards more stringent, nature-aligned sustainability classifications.
In this vacuum, investor coalitions are stepping forward. The Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change (IIGCC) responded to COP30's outcome by reaffirming that addressing deforestation is essential to credible net-zero strategies.
Through its Finance Sector Deforestation Action (FSDA) initiative, investors have pressed companies and banks in forest-risk commodity chains to improve traceability, strengthen conversion-free commitments and integrate land-use risk into financial decision-making.
The FSDA Progress Report 2025 highlighted substantial engagement progress but also underscored that voluntary action alone will not halt deforestation. With FSDA transitioning into the Deforestation Investor Group (DIG), IIGCC aims to expand the agenda: embedding deforestation risk across asset classes, developing investor-aligned expectations for nature-risk disclosure, and scaling engagement with corporates whose supply chains drive land-use change.
Importantly, DIG's focus aligns with the evolving SFDR framework, which is expected to require more robust evidence of nature-positive investment strategies.
Nature-related reporting consolidation — including the transition from TNFD into ISSB stewardship — places additional emphasis on harmonised, decision-useful nature metrics. For real asset managers, this shift intersects with operational risk, material costs, supply-chain resilience and long-term asset valuation. Biodiversity impact, once peripheral to risk modelling, is rapidly becoming central.
Recent IPE Real Assets coverage reflects this transition. Whether examining investor demand for nature-credit markets or the integration of natural capital into core strategies, reporting throughout 2025 shows a sector preparing for regulatory tightening and greater scrutiny over sustainability claims. As real estate investors face rising insurance volatility and stricter nature-risk disclosures, engagement with initiatives like DIG is becoming not only prudent but material.
With policy responses lagging and regulatory frameworks hardening, institutional investors are increasingly shaping the contours of the global deforestation agenda. DIG represents the next stage in this shift: investor-led coordination designed to fill governance gaps that political processes have yet to close.
This news briefing was published last week. If you would like to receive it regularly, on your 'IPE Real Assets profile', go to 'My Newsletters' and select any from the list.
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Biodiversity impact, once peripheral to risk modelling, is rapidly becoming central

IPE Real Assets ESG Briefing

BEIJING, Dec. 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A milestone for global sustainable trade was announced on Forest Action Day (Nov 18) at COP30, confirming that China has received its first shipment of independently verified deforestation and conversion free (vDCF) beef from Brazil. The confirmation underscores China's growing demand for responsibly sourced commodities and the significance of this development.
The verification was conducted by BDO which also audits MBRF, the exporting company in Brazil, and its full monitoring system under the Boi na Linha protocol and the DCF criteria developed by WWF and partners. The beef undergoes strict traceability from origin to slaughter, covering direct and indirect suppliers with daily geospatial monitoring. This ensures no sourcing from deforested or embargoed areas, protected regions or Indigenous lands, while maintaining full socioenvironmental compliance. The system's rigor surpasses previous industry standards.
Lunyan Lu, CEO of WWF China stressed that this achievement results from joint efforts by WWF China, WWF Brazil and other partners. As the world marks a decade of the Paris Agreement, China's concrete purchasing decisions are becoming pivotal drivers in accelerating the global shift toward deforestation-free supply chains. By sending a strong demand signal for DCF products, China is reshaping market expectations.
WWF played a key facilitating role, strengthening dialogue and technical cooperation between Chinese and Brazilian stakeholders. Through ongoing engagement with Chinese companies to commit to and act on sustainable sourcing—and by promoting green trade standards aligned with AFi—WWF helped create clear market signals from China. These signals prompted producer-side responses in Brazil and advanced critical milestones toward DCF supply chains.
Mauricio Voivodic, Executive Director of WWF-Brazil added that China and Brazil are increasingly influential in global climate governance. China's interest in DCF products signals to Brazilian producers that adopting DCF measures offers a competitive advantage in a high-demand market.
GAO Guan, Vice President, China Meat Association (CMA) affirmed that over the past decade, CMA and WWF issued the China Meat Sustainable Development Declaration, created the group standard Green Trade Specifications for the Meat Industry, certified "Green Trade Demonstration Enterprises"，and advanced green supply chain transformation. Brazil's first verified DCF beef shipment highlights these efforts and marks China's shift to verifiable, traceable green meat trade.
By prioritizing deforestation-free sourcing, China and Brazil together demonstrate leadership in aligning economic development with environmental integrity, offering credible solutions to global deforestation challenges.
Photo -
https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2837358/David_Bebber_WWF_UK.jpg

BEIJING, Dec. 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A milestone for global sustainable trade was announced on Forest Action Day (Nov 18) at COP30, confirming that China has received its first shipment of…

Stientje van Veldhoven is vice-president and regional director for Europe at the World Resources Institute. María Mendiluce is the CEO of the We Mean Business Coalition.
Europe aspires to be a competitive, innovative and investment-friendly economic bloc. Yet the foundations of such a market – political and financial stability and strong regulatory frameworks, as any economist will tell you – are exactly what the EU is undermining with its handling of the once pioneering EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).
The constant shifts in approach to this landmark law designed to counter global deforestation are bewildering, eroding Europe's credibility as a stable, predictable market. The integrity of the EUDR suffered another blow last week in a vote by the European Parliament to further delay a year and simplify the regulation, which risks considerably changing the trajectory and the impact of the directive.
With no COP30 roadmap, hopes of saving forests hinge on voluntary initiatives
We call on the EU Commission to avert further horse-trading by withdrawing its earlier proposal to adjust the regulation.
Adopted in 2023 after years of negotiation, the EUDR is a well-communicated commitment to ensuring that goods – including coffee, cocoa, wood, beef and a few other commodities – placed on the EU market are not linked to deforestation or forest degradation. In effect, with the EUDR, the regulation draws a line between goods that deplete scarce natural capital and those that don't.
The stakes could not be higher. The EU is the second largest 'deforester' in the world, responsible for roughly 10% of global deforestation, despite representing only 6% of the world's population. With that footprint comes the responsibility to limit its impact.
Since the directive passed, companies and producer-country governments have invested heavily in improving the traceability and transparency of their supply chains in preparation for the EU's implementation. Yet the last two years have seen the regulation repeatedly weakened by one delay after another, each defended on ever more ambiguous grounds.
Comment: Investor action is crucial to maintaining progress on deforestation risk
To understand how we got here, it's worth remembering that the European Commission's initial proposal for a delay had a narrow and reasonable goal: resolving urgent, unforeseen technical issues with the EUDR's IT system. There were also some smaller adjustments to reporting rules for micro and small companies directly selling their products on the EU market.
But what began as a technical pause to solve IT issues has spiralled into something far more unpredictable, political and messy. The new proposals approved by the EU Parliament now include another delay until the end of 2026 and a potential review of the impact of the regulation in April 2026, before it even comes into force. This would effectively open it back up for negotiation.
What makes the EU's capriciousness even more glaring are the near-simultaneous pleas at COP30 in Belém, made in front of many EU states, by Brazil's President Lula and Environment Minister Marina Silva: to adopt a concrete, time-bound global forest roadmap to halt and reverse deforestation by 2030.
Their message was stark: the Amazon has suffered one of its most extreme droughts on record, accompanied by over 140,000 fires, mostly linked to land clearing for agriculture. An aerial view shows a deforested plot of the Amazon during a Greenpeace flyover amid the UN Climate Change Conference (COP30), near Cachoeira do Piria, state of Para, Brazil, November 13, 2025. (Photo: REUTERS/Adriano Machado)
According to WRI's Global Forest Watch, the world lost 6.7 million hectares of primary rainforest in 2024 alone – an area roughly the size of Ireland, or 18 football fields every minute. Emissions from these fires alone exceed India's annual fossil fuel combustion.
Being there, on the edge of the Amazon's vast and breathtakingly biodiverse expanse, made the EU's change of direction even more baffling to us. We see three major shortcomings in the EUDR proposals under consideration:
First, the proposal undermines market stability and business certainty. Major multinationals, including Nestlé, Mars, Ferrero, Danone, Olam Agri and Barry Callebaut have publicly warned against delaying the EUDR or inserting a review clause that would alter the contents of the law. They have invested heavily in traceability systems, supply-chain mapping and partnerships with producer countries, all under the assumption that the EUDR would be implemented as agreed. Reversing course now erodes trust, not just in the EUDR, but in the EU's broader predictability as a market.
Second, delay allows European consumers to continue unknowingly driving deforestation. Most Europeans strongly reject the idea that their everyday purchases – from coffee and chocolate to steak or rubber tires – could be linked to forest destruction. Without the law in force, this environmental harm remains hidden in routine purchases, stripping consumers of their agency to 'vote' with their wallets.
Third, postponing the EUDR will slow global progress to halt and reverse deforestationat a moment when forests need urgent protection. Rainforests are far more than carbon reserves; they are the lungs and lifeblood of our planet, powering the global water cycle, sending rain across continents, and sustaining agriculture, rivers and food production for billions of people worldwide.
The EUDR is not perfect, but the position of the EU Council and Parliament will only lead to more uncertainty. In previous cases, where the political compromise drifted far from the European Commission proposal, it has used its prerogative to withdraw an amended proposition.
The Commission now faces a clear choice: defend the EUDR, secure Europe's market credibility, help protect forests that sustain life worldwide – or risk eroding all three. TAGS:

Constant weakening and delays to the landmark EU regulation pose a threat to rainforests and erode Europe's credibility as a stable, predictable market Weakening and delaying the EUDR threatens…

BEIJING
,
Dec. 3, 2025
/PRNewswire/ -- A milestone for global sustainable trade was announced on Forest Action Day (Nov 18) at COP30, confirming that China has received its first shipment of independently verified deforestation and conversion free (vDCF) beef from Brazil. The confirmation underscores China's growing demand for responsibly sourced commodities and the significance of this development.
© David Bebber / WWF-UK
The verification was conducted by BDO which also audits MBRF, the exporting company in Brazil, and its full monitoring system under the Boi na Linha protocol and the DCF criteria developed by WWF and partners. The beef undergoes strict traceability from origin to slaughter, covering direct and indirect suppliers with daily geospatial monitoring. This ensures no sourcing from deforested or embargoed areas, protected regions or Indigenous lands, while maintaining full socioenvironmental compliance. The system's rigor surpasses previous industry standards.
Lunyan Lu, CEO of WWF China stressed that this achievement results from joint efforts by WWF China, WWF Brazil and other partners. As the world marks a decade of the Paris Agreement, China's concrete purchasing decisions are becoming pivotal drivers in accelerating the global shift toward deforestation-free supply chains. By sending a strong demand signal for DCF products, China is reshaping market expectations.
WWF played a key facilitating role, strengthening dialogue and technical cooperation between Chinese and Brazilian stakeholders. Through ongoing engagement with Chinese companies to commit to and act on sustainable sourcing—and by promoting green trade standards aligned with AFi—WWF helped create clear market signals from China. These signals prompted producer-side responses in Brazil and advanced critical milestones toward DCF supply chains.
Mauricio Voivodic, Executive Director of WWF-Brazil added that China and Brazil are increasingly influential in global climate governance. China's interest in DCF products signals to Brazilian producers that adopting DCF measures offers a competitive advantage in a high-demand market.
GAO Guan, Vice President, China Meat Association (CMA) affirmed that over the past decade, CMA and WWF issued the
China Meat Sustainable Development Declaration
, created
the group standard Green Trade Specifications for the Meat Industry
, certified
"Green Trade Demonstration Enterprises"
，and advanced green supply chain transformation. Brazil's first verified DCF beef shipment highlights these efforts and marks China's shift to verifiable, traceable green meat trade.
By prioritizing deforestation-free sourcing, China and Brazil together demonstrate leadership in aligning economic development with environmental integrity, offering credible solutions to global deforestation challenges.
Photo -

/PRNewswire/ -- A milestone for global sustainable trade was announced on Forest Action Day (Nov 18) at COP30, confirming that China has received its first...

T he deadly flooding that has killed hundreds in northern and western part of Sumatra was largely the result of monsoon rains and a rare tropical storm. But something else may have played a role: deforestation. Environmentalists, experts and even the government

T he deadly flooding that has killed hundreds in northern and western part of Sumatra was largely the result of monsoon rains and a rare tropical storm. But something else may have played a role:…

How deforestation turbocharged Sumatra's deadly floods

Credit: Rich Carey/Shutterstock.com
Palm oil is a vital ingredient in many foods, beauty products, cleaning products and biofuels. But it has also been a massive cause of deforestation in South East Asia in recent years.
Companies are increasingly exploring substitutes to cut the risk they face from deforestation in their supply chains. One novel palm oil substitute is yeast-derived oil, a form of microbial oil. While it cannot be produced at the rate that would satisfy palm oil demand, it can overcome challenges other palm substitutes have stumbled at.
An over-reliance on palm oil for foods and other consumer goods has driven deforestation across South East Asia at a rate that is not sustainable for the climate, wildlife, or the people who rely on the forests. The expansion of palm tree plantations requires massive amounts of deforestation, mostly in Indonesia and Malaysia, because plantations are only fully effective for around two decades. After this point, old palm trees are felled and more nutrient-rich land is sought out and deforested.
As well as driving climate change, companies are exposed to a range of risks when they rely on unchecked deforestation in their supply chains, including regulatory risk, physical risk, reputational risk and financing risk.
To counter deforestation risk, many companies are seeking to substitute palm oil for another similar product. However, an oil that fulfils all of palm oil's qualities is hard to come by and none have yet fully risen to the challenge.
One emerging branch of research into palm oil substitutes focuses on oil derived from yeast. For example, a yeast called Metschnikowia pulcherrima that is found on grapes releases a significant amount of oil that can be processed in the same way as other vegetable oils. Other microbial oils have also been investigated as potential substitutes for palm oil, such as the microalgae Prototheca moriformis.
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Palm oil's functionality unchallenged until now
A major issue with previous attempts to substitute palm oil is that no potential substitutes are as versatile. Other vegetable oils, like soybean oil, sunflower oil, or rapeseed oil, can be substituted for palm in generic food applications like cooking oil.
However, due to palm oil's specific composition, it can be 'fractionated': separated into a solid fat and a liquid oil. Fractionating multiple times produces fats and oils with specific properties for specialised applications, such as making them suitable for chocolate spreads, biofuels, margarine, or cooking oil. Other oils do not have this level of versatility.
A 2025 study into the microalgae Prototheca moriformis found iterative rounds of mutagenesis (the process of inducing a change in an organism's genetic information, or DNA) and screening could ensure the microbial oil featured properties, including versatility, close to that of palm oil.
Yeast-derived oil has also been found to exhibit similar properties to palm oil when it is cultivated in a certain way, meaning it could also overcome the barriers faced by soybean, sunflower, and rapeseed oil.
Microbial oil not abundant enough – but production is rising
The other main problem with substituting for palm oil is that other sources of oil simply are not as abundant as oil palm. According to GlobalData, over 20% more palm oil than soybean oil was produced in 2024 worldwide. The discrepancy between rapeseed and sunflower oil and palm oil is even starker.
Even if soybean oil were to replace palm oil, it would not alleviate many concerns around deforestation. Soybean production is more land-intensive than oil palm production, so this would require massive land change, particularly in Brazil. Companies that switch to soybean oil would arguably just be shifting their land-use change and deforestation from South East Asia to South America.
Microbial oil, derived from yeast or microalgae, is being produced at a scale nowhere near that of any vegetable oil, so it will not displace palm oil in the foreseeable future.
Production is, however, scaling up. Dutch start-up NoPalm will begin production at its demo factory in 2026, producing 1,200 tonnes per year. Once this is established, it plans to set up a commercial plant producing between 6,000 and 10,000 tonnes per year.
While still a fraction of the volume of palm oil consumed per year, if the concept catches on and other businesses invest in yeast-derived microbial oil, deforestation driven by palm oil could fall dramatically.

Companies are increasingly exploring substitutes to palm oil to cut the risk they face from deforestation in their supply chains.

Why microbial oils could mitigate deforestation from palm oil

Experts, environmentalists and even government officials have pointed to the role of deforestation in Indonesia's deadly floods - Copyright AFP CHAIDEER MAHYUDDIN
Marchio Gorbiano and Dessy Sagita
The deadly flooding that has killed hundreds in Indonesia was largely the result of monsoon rains and a rare tropical storm. But something else may have played a role: deforestation.
Environmentalists, experts and even Indonesia's government have pointed to the role forest loss played in flash flooding and landslides that washed torrents of mud into villages and stranded residents on roofs.
Forests help absorb rainfall and stabilise the ground held by their roots, and their absence makes areas more prone to flash flooding and landslides.
Indonesia is regularly among the countries in the world with the largest annual forest loss.
Mining, plantations and fires have caused the clearance of large tracts of the country's lush rainforest over recent decades.
In 2024, over 240,000 hectares of primary forest was lost, and that was less than the year before, according to analysis by conservation start-up The TreeMap's Nusantara Atlas project.
'Forests upstream act as a protective barrier, a bit like a sponge,' explained David Gaveau, founder of The TreeMap.
'The canopy captures some of the rain before it reaches the ground. The roots also help stabilise the soil. When the forest is cleared upstream, rainwater runs off rapidly into rivers creating flash floods.'
– 'Prevent deforestation' –
Environmentalists have long urged the government to better protect the country's forests, which are a key carbon sink, absorbing planet-warming carbon dioxide.
Indonesia's forests are also home to enormous biodiversity and some of the world's most threatened species, including orangutans.
And in the wake of the flooding, even the country's president urged action.
'We must truly prevent deforestation and forest destruction,' President Prabowo Subianto said Friday as the scale of the disaster began to emerge.
'Protecting our forests is crucial.'
The floods carried not only collapsed hillsides and torrents of mud, but also timber that fuelled speculation about the link between deforestation and the disaster.
On one beach in Padang, AFP saw workers dressed in orange using chainsaws to break up massive logs strewn along the sand.
The forestry ministry is reportedly investigating claims of illegal logging in affected areas, and Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni called the disaster a chance to 'evaluate our policies'.
'The pendulum between the economy and ecology seems to have swung too far towards the economy and needs to be pulled back to the centre,' he said over the weekend.
That is a message environmentalists in Indonesia have long delivered.
In one of the worst-affected areas, Batang Toru, 'there are seven companies operating along the upstream region,' said Uli Arta Siagian, forest and plantation campaign manager for conservation group Walhi.
'There is a gold mine that has already cleared around 300 hectares of forest cover… the Batang Toru Hydropower Plant has caused the loss of 350 hectares of forest,' she told AFP.
Large tracts of forest have also been converted into palm oil plantations.
'All of this contributes to increasing our vulnerability.'
– Protection and restoration –
Sumatra, where the flood damage was concentrated, is particularly vulnerable because its river basins are relatively small, explained Kiki Taufik, head of Greenpeace Indonesia's forest campaign.
'The massive change in forest cover is the main factor in the occurrence of flash floods,' he told AFP, accusing the government of 'recklessly and carelessly' granting permits for mines and plantations.
Deforestation rates in Sumatra are among the highest in Indonesia, according to Herry Purnomo, country director at the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF).
Losing forest also raises flooding risks because soil washes into rivers, raising the riverbed and reducing the capacity of waterways to absorb sudden torrential downpours, he said.
Two things are needed, added Herry, a professor at IPB University in Bogor: 'Prevent deforestation, avoid it, and also carry out restoration.'

Experts, environmentalists and even government officials have pointed to the role of deforestation in Indonesia's deadly floods - Copyright AFP CHAIDEER MAHYUDDINMarchio Gorbiano and Dessy SagitaThe…

How deforestation turbocharged Indonesia's deadly floods

Philippine exporters are being urged to prepare for the European Union's new deforestation rules, which will require companies to prove that key agricultural products entering or leaving the EU market are both deforestation-free and compliant with local laws.
The International Trade Centre (ITC) has released a set of informational flyers to guide local producers of cocoa, coffee, palm oil, rubber, and soy on how to meet the requirements of the EU Deforestation-free Products Regulation (EUDR). The regulation also covers cattle, wood, and all derivative goods such as leather, furniture, chocolate, and other processed items.
Under the EUDR, operators—defined as companies placing these products on the EU market or exporting them from the EU—must submit the exact geolocation of production sites and conduct a due diligence review of their supply chains. This includes verifying compliance with environmental rules and local laws such as labor standards. Although Philippine suppliers are not directly liable under the regulation, the ITC noted they will still be required to provide detailed production data to their EU buyers to help them meet compliance obligations.
Exporters must identify and organize required information, including origin data, production methods, producer profiles, and documentation proving legal and sustainable operations. The flyers highlight a range of digital tools available for data collection—such as Excel templates, GeoJSON mapping, the FAO's Ground app, and the ITC's Deforestation-Free Trade Gateway (DFTG)—to help producers standardize and share information efficiently.
The EU Council has proposed postponing full enforcement of the EUDR to December 30, 2026, giving operators and regulators additional time to prepare. Micro and small operators may receive an extra six months. The extension follows concerns raised across the global agricultural supply chain regarding readiness and data collection capacity.
The new compliance materials were developed under the EU-funded Climate Competitiveness Project at ITC and the Department of Trade and Industry–Export Marketing Bureau's Usapang Exports program.

Philippine exporters are urged to prepare for the EU's deforestation-free product rules requiring full supply chain data and geolocation to prove legal, sustainable production.

Philippine exporters pressed to prepare for EU deforestation rules

MADISON (WKOW) — The Madison Capitols announced plans Tuesday to relocate to a new state-of-the-art facility in DeForest before the 2026-27 season.
The new venue, part of the DeForest Yards entertainment district, aims to enhance the fan experience.
"Today marks an exciting milestone in the story of our organization," said Ryan Suter, LEGACY20 owner and chairman, in a statement. "LEGACY20 Arena at DeForest Yards is designed to elevate the experience for our players, fans, and community for many years to come."
The facility will feature a 3,000-capacity arena with stadium-style seating, a center-hanging videoboard, and premium amenities. It will include a sports bar, team store, and hospitality areas.
DeForest Yards will also offer a covered outdoor rink for hockey in winter and community events in summer. The district will host a second location of Aranda's Mexican Restaurant and Youngblood Brewery.
"Moving into a new facility raises the standard for our entire program," said Andy Brandt, Capitols head coach and general manager. Brandt emphasized the importance of training spaces and developmental resources for player recruitment.
Current season ticket holders will have priority access to seat selection at the new LEGACY20 Arena. Details on seating, pricing, and timelines will be shared during the 2025-26 season.
Updates on construction and fan information will be available through the team's website and social media.
The Capitols will continue their 2025-26 season at Bob Suter's LEGACY20 Arena in Middleton while preparing for the move to DeForest.

MADISON (WKOW) — The Madison Capitols announced plans Tuesday to relocate to a new state-of-the-art facility in DeForest before the 2026-27 season.

Madison Capitols to relocate to new arena in DeForest for 2026-27 season

The deadly flooding that has killed hundreds in Indonesia was largely the result of monsoon rains and a rare tropical storm. But something else may have played a role: deforestation.
Environmentalists, experts and even Indonesia's government have pointed to the role forest loss played in flash flooding and landslides that washed torrents of mud into villages and stranded residents on roofs.
Forests help absorb rainfall and stabilise the ground held by their roots, and their absence makes areas more prone to flash flooding and landslides.
Indonesia is regularly among the countries in the world with the largest annual forest loss.
Mining, plantations and fires have caused the clearance of large tracts of the country's lush rainforest over recent decades.
In 2024, over 240,000 hectares of primary forest was lost, and that was less than the year before, according to analysis by conservation start-up The TreeMap's Nusantara Atlas project.
"Forests upstream act as a protective barrier, a bit like a sponge," explained David Gaveau, founder of The TreeMap.
"The canopy captures some of the rain before it reaches the ground. The roots also help stabilise the soil. When the forest is cleared upstream, rainwater runs off rapidly into rivers creating flash floods."
- 'Prevent deforestation' -
Environmentalists have long urged the government to better protect the country's forests, which are a key carbon sink, absorbing planet-warming carbon dioxide.
Indonesia's forests are also home to enormous biodiversity and some of the world's most threatened species, including orangutans.
And in the wake of the flooding, even the country's president urged action.
"We must truly prevent deforestation and forest destruction," President Prabowo Subianto said Friday as the scale of the disaster began to emerge.
"Protecting our forests is crucial."
The floods carried not only collapsed hillsides and torrents of mud, but also timber that fuelled speculation about the link between deforestation and the disaster.
On one beach in Padang, AFP saw workers dressed in orange using chainsaws to break up massive logs strewn along the sand.
The forestry ministry is reportedly investigating claims of illegal logging in affected areas, and Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni called the disaster a chance to "evaluate our policies".
"The pendulum between the economy and ecology seems to have swung too far towards the economy and needs to be pulled back to the centre," he said over the weekend.
That is a message environmentalists in Indonesia have long delivered.
In one of the worst-affected areas, Batang Toru, "there are seven companies operating along the upstream region," said Uli Arta Siagian, forest and plantation campaign manager for conservation group Walhi.
"There is a gold mine that has already cleared around 300 hectares of forest cover... the Batang Toru Hydropower Plant has caused the loss of 350 hectares of forest," she told AFP.
Large tracts of forest have also been converted into palm oil plantations.
"All of this contributes to increasing our vulnerability."
- Protection and restoration -
Sumatra, where the flood damage was concentrated, is particularly vulnerable because its river basins are relatively small, explained Kiki Taufik, head of Greenpeace Indonesia's forest campaign.
"The massive change in forest cover is the main factor in the occurrence of flash floods," he told AFP, accusing the government of "recklessly and carelessly" granting permits for mines and plantations.
Deforestation rates in Sumatra are among the highest in Indonesia, according to Herry Purnomo, country director at the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF).
Losing forest also raises flooding risks because soil washes into rivers, raising the riverbed and reducing the capacity of waterways to absorb sudden torrential downpours, he said.
Two things are needed, added Herry, a professor at IPB University in Bogor: "Prevent deforestation, avoid it, and also carry out restoration."
mrc-dsa-sah/kaf

The deadly flooding that has killed hundreds in Indonesia was largely the result of monsoon rains and a rare tropical storm."The canopy captures some of the rain before it reaches the ground.

Tiny amazon indigenous territory bears devastating 70% of all mining-related deforestation
A small Indigenous territory in Brazil's Amazon rainforest has become ground zero for illegal mining destruction, accounting for a staggering 70% of all deforestation in Indigenous lands across the region over the past two years. The Sararé Indigenous Territory in Mato Grosso state, home to just 200 Nambikwara people, has seen illegal gold miners devastate more than 3,000 hectares (7,400 acres) of pristine forest—equivalent to over 4% of their entire ancestral homeland.
The scale of destruction represents a dramatic escalation of environmental crime. According to government data, from January 2024 to August 2024 alone, Sararé experienced 85% more mining-related deforestation than the next nine most impacted Indigenous territories combined. This marks a shocking transformation for a community that had lost only 78 hectares to mining as recently as 2018, according to Greenpeace reports.
The invasion has intensified rapidly, with the number of illegal miners operating in Sararé exploding from an estimated 250-300 in 2023 to approximately 2,000 this year. This massive influx of illegal activity has catapulted Sararé from complete absence on mining alert lists in 2023 to becoming the most devastated Indigenous territory in Brazil's Amazon by far.
The crisis highlights the vulnerability of Indigenous communities and their critical role as forest guardians. While these territories have historically served as some of the Amazon's most effective protection against deforestation, the Sararé situation demonstrates how quickly illegal mining operations can overwhelm small Indigenous communities and destroy irreplaceable rainforest ecosystems.

A small Indigenous territory in Brazil's Amazon rainforest has become ground zero for illegal mining destruction, accounting for a staggering 70% of all deforestation in Indigenous lands across the region over the past two years. The Sararé Indigenous Territory in Mato Grosso state, home to just 200 Nambikwara people, has seen illegal gold miners devastate

Tiny amazon indigenous territory bears devastating 70% of all mining-related deforestation

BEIJING, Dec. 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — A milestone for global sustainable trade was announced on Forest Action Day (Nov 18) at COP30, confirming that China has received its first shipment of independently verified deforestation and conversion free (vDCF) beef from Brazil. The confirmation underscores China's growing demand for responsibly sourced commodities and the significance of this development.
The verification was conducted by BDO which also audits MBRF, the exporting company in Brazil, and its full monitoring system under the Boi na Linha protocol and the DCF criteria developed by WWF and partners. The beef undergoes strict traceability from origin to slaughter, covering direct and indirect suppliers with daily geospatial monitoring. This ensures no sourcing from deforested or embargoed areas, protected regions or Indigenous lands, while maintaining full socioenvironmental compliance. The system's rigor surpasses previous industry standards.
Lunyan Lu, CEO of WWF China stressed that this achievement results from joint efforts by WWF China, WWF Brazil and other partners. As the world marks a decade of the Paris Agreement, China's concrete purchasing decisions are becoming pivotal drivers in accelerating the global shift toward deforestation-free supply chains. By sending a strong demand signal for DCF products, China is reshaping market expectations.
WWF played a key facilitating role, strengthening dialogue and technical cooperation between Chinese and Brazilian stakeholders. Through ongoing engagement with Chinese companies to commit to and act on sustainable sourcing—and by promoting green trade standards aligned with AFi—WWF helped create clear market signals from China. These signals prompted producer-side responses in Brazil and advanced critical milestones toward DCF supply chains.
Mauricio Voivodic, Executive Director of WWF-Brazil added that China and Brazil are increasingly influential in global climate governance. China's interest in DCF products signals to Brazilian producers that adopting DCF measures offers a competitive advantage in a high-demand market.
GAO Guan, Vice President, China Meat Association (CMA) affirmed that over the past decade, CMA and WWF issued the China Meat Sustainable Development Declaration, created the group standard Green Trade Specifications for the Meat Industry, certified 'Green Trade Demonstration Enterprises'，and advanced green supply chain transformation. Brazil's first verified DCF beef shipment highlights these efforts and marks China's shift to verifiable, traceable green meat trade.
By prioritizing deforestation-free sourcing, China and Brazil together demonstrate leadership in aligning economic development with environmental integrity, offering credible solutions to global deforestation challenges.
Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2837358/David_Bebber_WWF_UK.jpg
View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/china-has-received-the-first-verified-deforestation-and-conversion-free-vdcf-beef-shipment-from-brazil-302631459.html

BEIJING, Dec. 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — A milestone for global sustainable trade was announced on Forest Action Day (Nov 18) at COP30, confirming that China has received its first shipment of independently verified deforestation and conversion free (vDCF) beef from Brazil. The confirmation underscores China's growing demand for responsibly sourced commodities and the significance of

The nation will revoke mining permits if companies are found to have violated rules on flood-ravaged Sumatra island, the Energy Minister said as questions intensified about the role of deforestation in worsening the deadly disaster.
Cyclone-induced floods and landslides have left about 800 dead and 564 missing across the three provinces of West Sumatra, North Sumatra and Aceh, according to government data.
Yesterday, Environment Minis­ter Hanif Faisol Nurofiq said on Instagram that the disaster was caused by a changing climate intensifying bad weather events and environmental damage, pointing to shrinking forest cover across the three worst-affected provinces.
Green groups said deforestation linked to mining and illegal logging exacerbated the disasters, where landslides left ruins and pools of mud where homes used to be. Images of logs washing ashore on Sumatra after the floods have sparked outrage among social media users.
Energy Minister Bahlil Laha­dalia told evacuated residents in West Sumatra on Wednesday that he would look at revoking mining permits of companies if they were found to have violated rules.
'If in our evaluations they have proven to have violated or are not adherent, then we will do our job without any hesitation according to the rules in place,' he said on Wednesday's visit.
Environment-focused group Jatam said legal permits to convert forests into extraction zones covered about 54,000ha, the majority of them for mining.
Among the permit holders is PT Agincourt Resources, which ope­rates the Martabe gold mine in the Batang Toru ecosystem.
In a statement to Reuters this week it said making a direct link between the floods and the mine's operations was 'a premature and inaccurate conclusion'.
Between 2001 and 2024, Sumatra as a whole lost 4.4 million hectares of forest, an area bigger than Switzerland, said David Gaveau, founder of deforestation monitor Nusantara Atlas. — Reuters

The nation will revoke mining permits if companies are found to have violated rules on flood-ravaged Sumatra island, the Energy Minister said as questions intensified about the role of deforestation…

Mining firms face action as deforestation blamed for floods

PADANG, Indonesia (AP) — Deaths from last week's catastrophic floods and landslides in parts of Asia surged past 1,500 Thursday as rescue teams raced to reach survivors isolated by the disaster with hundreds of people still unaccounted for across the region.
The tragedy of so much death and destruction was compounded by warnings that decades of deforestation caused by unchecked development, mining and palm oil plantations may have worsened the devastation. Calls grew for the government to act.

PADANG, Indonesia (AP) — Deaths from last week's catastrophic floods and landslides in parts of Asia surged past 1,500 Thursday as rescue teams raced to reach survivors isolated by the

Carbon is mainly removed from the atmosphere during photosynthesis, while carbon emissions mainly occur due to forest cover loss during wildfire, agricultural and fuelwood burning and shifting cultivation.
iStock
Forests
Africa's forests transitioned from carbon sink to net carbon source
African continent lost around 106 billion kilogrammes of forest biomass annually between 2010 and 2017
Himanshu Nitnaware
Africa's forests have shifted from absorbing carbon to emitting it, driven by deforestation and forest degradation.
Between 2010 and 2017, biomass declined sharply, threatening a vital global carbon buffer.
Experts urge urgent policy action to halt deforestation and meet Paris Agreement climate goals.
African forests and woody savanna — traditionally known to have served as carbon sink by removing atmospheric carbon have now transitioned into a carbon source, a groundbreaking study has revealed.
The findings published in the journal Scientific Reports stated that new high-resolution satellite-derived biomass maps indicate the change has been witnessed since 2010 and until 2017.
The study provides the first continent-wide, high-resolution assessment of aboveground woody biomass changes in Africa over a decade. The authors noted that Africa's ecosystem contribute around 20 per cent of global carbon removals through terrestrial net primary production, 40 per cent of the world's carbon emissions from biomass burning and 20 per cent of emissions from deforestation and forest degradation.
Carbon is mainly removed from the atmosphere during photosynthesis, the scientists noted, while carbon emissions mainly occur due to forest cover loss during wildfire, agricultural and fuelwood burning and shifting cultivation.
'Between 2007 and 2010, the continent gained 439±66 Tg yr−1 (teragrammes per year) of aboveground biomass, but from 2010 to 2015 biomass declined by −132±20 Tg yr-1 and from 2015 to 2017 this decline continued with a loss of −41±6 Tg yr-1 — indicating they transformed from acting as carbon sink to net carbon source,' the researchers wrote.
The decline in carbon sequestration was primarily driven by significant deforestation in tropical moist broadleaf forests, mainly in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar and some West African countries, and forest degradation, the findings showed. The continent lost around 106 billion kilogrammes of forest biomass per year, according to the scientists. That is equivalent to the weight of about 106 million cars.
Their findings, they added, are consistent with growing forest loss rates in Africa since 2010 as estimated by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
FAO statistics on increasing annual harvested roundwood from 277 million cubic metres in 1961 up to 768 million m3 by 2017 also confirm these forest losses, the authors noted.
'Gains in savanna biomass partially offset these losses, likely due to shrub encroachment. Our findings underline the urgent need for implementing policies to halt global deforestation as required by the Glasgow Leaders Declaration to close the global emissions gap,' they said in a statement.
The long-term persistence of these trends will depend on local governance and whether resources are used sustainably. The results provide further independent evidence of a shift in forest functioning from a carbon sink to a source around this time period, which is consistent with recent studies of all pantropical regions, according to the researchers.
In a statement, Heiko Balzter, senior author and director of the Institute for Environmental Futures at the University of Leicester, said, 'This is a critical wake-up call for global climate policy. If Africa's forests are no longer absorbing carbon, it means other regions and the world as a whole will need to cut greenhouse gas emissions even more deeply to stay within the 2°C goal of the Paris Agreement and avoid catastrophic climate change. Climate finance for the Tropical Forests Forever Facility must be scaled up quickly to put an end to global deforestation for good.'
The researchers warned that the current ongoing revisions of Nationally Determined Contributions to the Paris Agreement need to be more ambitious to compensate for the ongoing loss of natural carbon sinks.
Without urgent action to stop forest loss, the world risks losing one of its most important natural carbon buffers, they concluded.

A landmark study reveals Africa's forests have shifted from absorbing carbon to emitting it between 2010 and 2017 due to deforestation and degradation, threatening a vital global carbon buffer and…

Africa's forests transitioned from carbon sink to net carbon source

BEIJING, Dec. 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A milestone for global sustainable trade was announced on Forest Action Day (Nov 18) at COP30, confirming that China has received its first shipment of independently verified deforestation and conversion free (vDCF) beef from Brazil. The confirmation underscores China's growing demand for responsibly sourced commodities and the significance of this development.
The verification was conducted by BDO which also audits MBRF, the exporting company in Brazil, and its full monitoring system under the Boi na Linha protocol and the DCF criteria developed by WWF and partners. The beef undergoes strict traceability from origin to slaughter, covering direct and indirect suppliers with daily geospatial monitoring. This ensures no sourcing from deforested or embargoed areas, protected regions or Indigenous lands, while maintaining full socioenvironmental compliance. The system's rigor surpasses previous industry standards.

The deadly flooding that has killed hundreds in Indonesia was largely the result of monsoon rains and a rare tropical storm. But something else may have played a role: deforestation.
Environmentalists, experts and even Indonesia's government have pointed to the role forest loss played in flash flooding and landslides that washed torrents of mud into villages and stranded residents on roofs.
Forests help absorb rainfall and stabilize the ground held by their roots, and their absence makes areas more prone to flash flooding and landslides.
Indonesia is regularly among the countries in the world with the largest annual forest loss.
Mining, plantations and fires have caused the clearance of large tracts of the country's lush rainforest over recent decades.
In 2024, over 240,000 hectares of primary forest was lost, and that was less than the year before, according to analysis by conservation start-up The TreeMap's Nusantara Atlas project.
"Forests upstream act as a protective barrier, a bit like a sponge," explained David Gaveau, founder of The TreeMap.
"The canopy captures some of the rain before it reaches the ground. The roots also help stabilize the soil. When the forest is cleared upstream, rainwater runs off rapidly into rivers creating flash floods."
'Prevent deforestation'
Environmentalists have long urged the government to better protect the country's forests, which are a key carbon sink, absorbing planet-warming carbon dioxide.
Indonesia's forests are also home to enormous biodiversity and some of the world's most threatened species, including orangutans.
And in the wake of the flooding, even the country's president urged action.
"We must truly prevent deforestation and forest destruction," President Prabowo Subianto said Friday as the scale of the disaster began to emerge.
"Protecting our forests is crucial."
The floods carried not only collapsed hillsides and torrents of mud, but also timber that fueled speculation about the link between deforestation and the disaster.
On one beach in Padang, AFP saw workers dressed in orange using chainsaws to break up massive logs strewn along the sand.
The forestry ministry is reportedly investigating claims of illegal logging in affected areas, and Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni called the disaster a chance to "evaluate our policies".
"The pendulum between the economy and ecology seems to have swung too far towards the economy and needs to be pulled back to the center," he said over the weekend.
That is a message environmentalists in Indonesia have long delivered.
In one of the worst-affected areas, Batang Toru, "there are seven companies operating along the upstream region," said Uli Arta Siagian, forest and plantation campaign manager for conservation group Walhi.
"There is a gold mine that has already cleared around 300 hectares of forest cover... the Batang Toru Hydropower Plant has caused the loss of 350 hectares of forest," she told AFP.
Large tracts of forest have also been converted into palm oil plantations.
"All of this contributes to increasing our vulnerability."
Protection and restoration
Sumatra, where the flood damage was concentrated, is particularly vulnerable because its river basins are relatively small, explained Kiki Taufik, head of Greenpeace Indonesia's forest campaign.
"The massive change in forest cover is the main factor in the occurrence of flash floods," he told AFP, accusing the government of "recklessly and carelessly" granting permits for mines and plantations.
Deforestation rates in Sumatra are among the highest in Indonesia, according to Herry Purnomo, country director at the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF).
Losing forest also raises flooding risks because soil washes into rivers, raising the riverbed and reducing the capacity of waterways to absorb sudden torrential downpours, he said.
Two things are needed, added Herry, a professor at IPB University in Bogor: "Prevent deforestation, avoid it, and also carry out restoration."

Indonesia:
The deadly flooding that has killed hundreds in Indonesia was largely the result of monsoon rains and a rare tropical storm. But something else may have played a role: deforestation.
Environmentalists, experts and even Indonesia's government have pointed to the role forest loss played in flash flooding and landslides that washed torrents of mud into villages and stranded residents on roofs.
Forests help absorb rainfall and stabilise the ground held by their roots, and their absence makes areas more prone to flash flooding and landslides.
Indonesia is regularly among the countries in the world with the largest annual forest loss.
Mining, plantations and fires have caused the clearance of large tracts of the country's lush rainforest over recent decades.
In 2024, over 240,000 hectares of primary forest was lost, and that was less than the year before, according to analysis by conservation start-up The TreeMap's Nusantara Atlas project.
"Forests upstream act as a protective barrier, a bit like a sponge," explained David Gaveau, founder of The TreeMap.
"The canopy captures some of the rain before it reaches the ground. The roots also help stabilise the soil. When the forest is cleared upstream, rainwater runs off rapidly into rivers creating flash floods."
'Prevent Deforestation'
Environmentalists have long urged the government to better protect the country's forests, which are a key carbon sink, absorbing planet-warming carbon dioxide.
Indonesia's forests are also home to enormous biodiversity and some of the world's most threatened species, including orangutans.
And in the wake of the flooding, even the country's president urged action.
"We must truly prevent deforestation and forest destruction," President Prabowo Subianto said Friday as the scale of the disaster began to emerge.
"Protecting our forests is crucial."
The floods carried not only collapsed hillsides and torrents of mud, but also timber that fuelled speculation about the link between deforestation and the disaster.
On one beach in Padang, AFP saw workers dressed in orange using chainsaws to break up massive logs strewn along the sand.
The forestry ministry is reportedly investigating claims of illegal logging in affected areas, and Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni called the disaster a chance to "evaluate our policies".
"The pendulum between the economy and ecology seems to have swung too far towards the economy and needs to be pulled back to the centre," he said over the weekend.
That is a message environmentalists in Indonesia have long delivered.
In one of the worst-affected areas, Batang Toru, "there are seven companies operating along the upstream region," said Uli Arta Siagian, forest and plantation campaign manager for conservation group Walhi.
"There is a gold mine that has already cleared around 300 hectares of forest cover... the Batang Toru Hydropower Plant has caused the loss of 350 hectares of forest," she told AFP.
Large tracts of forest have also been converted into palm oil plantations.
"All of this contributes to increasing our vulnerability."
Protection And Restoration
Sumatra, where the flood damage was concentrated, is particularly vulnerable because its river basins are relatively small, explained Kiki Taufik, head of Greenpeace Indonesia's forest campaign.
"The massive change in forest cover is the main factor in the occurrence of flash floods," he told AFP, accusing the government of "recklessly and carelessly" granting permits for mines and plantations.
Deforestation rates in Sumatra are among the highest in Indonesia, according to Herry Purnomo, country director at the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF).
Losing forest also raises flooding risks because soil washes into rivers, raising the riverbed and reducing the capacity of waterways to absorb sudden torrential downpours, he said.
Two things are needed, added Herry, a professor at IPB University in Bogor: "Prevent deforestation, avoid it, and also carry out restoration."

Environmentalists, experts and even Indonesia's government have pointed to the role forest loss played in flash flooding and landslides.

PADANG, Indonesia (AP) — Deaths from last week's catastrophic floods and landslides in parts of Asia surged past 1,500 Thursday as rescue teams raced to reach survivors isolated by the disaster with hundreds of people still unaccounted for across the region.
The tragedy of so much death and destruction was compounded by warnings that decades of deforestation caused by unchecked development, mining and palm oil plantations may have worsened the devastation. Calls grew for the government to act.
'We need the government to investigate and fix forest management,' said Rangga Adiputra, a 31-year-old teacher whose home in West Sumatra was swept away. The hills above his village on the outskirts of Padang city had been scarred by illegal logging.
'We don't want this costly disaster to happen again," he said.
Authorities said 837 people were confirmed dead in Indonesia, 479 in Sri Lanka and 185 in Thailand, as well as three in Malaysia.
Many villages in Indonesia and Sri Lanka remained buried under mud and debris, with 861 people still unaccounted for in both countries.
Thousands reportedly faced severe shortages of food and clean water in cut off areas. The floods and landslides washed away roads and bridges and knocked out telecommunications, leaving many communities inaccessible.
Indonesian television showed images of huge amounts of felled timber carried downstream in North Sumatra, West Sumatra and Aceh provinces.
The leading Indonesian environmental group WALHI said that decades of deforestation — driven by mining, palm oil plantations, and illegal logging — stripped away natural defenses that once absorbed rainfall and stabilized soil.
'The disaster was not just nature's fury, it was amplified by decades of deforestation,' said Rianda Purba, an activist with the group. 'Deforestation and unchecked development have stripped Sumatra of its resilience.'
The group recorded more than 240,000 hectares (nearly 600,000 acres) of primary forest were lost in 2024 alone, leaving Sumatra's small river basins dangerously exposed.
Another environmental group, Global Forest Watch, has said the flood-inundated Indonesian provinces of Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra have since 2000 lost 19,600 square kilometers (7,569 square miles) of forest, an area larger than the state of New Jersey.
"Unless restoration begins now, more lives will be lost,' Purba warned.
Massive piles of neatly cut timber lay scattered among the debris across Parkit Beach, a sight that stunned emergency crews deployed to the area.
'From their shape, it was clear these were not just trees torn out naturally by the flood, but timber that had been deliberately cut,' said a member of a clean-up crew, Neviana, who goes by a single name.
Another resident of Padang, Ria Wati, 38, observed the same.
'The logs carried by the floods weren't the kind you get from a flash flood,' she said, 'If old trees were uprooted, you would see roots and fragile bark. But these were clean, neatly cut pieces of wood ... they looked like the result of illegal logging.'
President Prabowo Subianto pledged policy reforms after visiting flood-hit areas on Monday.
"We must truly prevent deforestation and forest destruction. Protecting our forests is crucial,' Prabowo said.
In Batang Toru, the worst-hit areas in North Sumatra, where seven companies operate, hundreds of hectares had been cleared for gold mining and energy projects, leaving slopes exposed and riverbeds choked with sediment. Rivers there were swollen with runoff and timber, while villages were buried or swept away.
Lawmakers called for the companies' permits to be revoked.
Facing public outrage, Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq announced an investigation into eight companies suspected of worsening the disaster. He said environmental permits will be reviewed and future assessments must factor in extreme rainfall scenarios.
'Someone must be held accountable,' he said.
___
Karmini reported from Jakarta. Krishan Francis in Colombo, Sri Lanka, contributed reporting.

Deaths from last week's catastrophic floods and landslides in parts of Asia surged past 1,500 Thursday as rescue teams raced to reach survivors isolated by the disaster with hundreds of people still…

PADANG, Indonesia — Deaths from last week's catastrophic floods and landslides in parts of Asia surged past 1,500 Thursday as rescue teams raced to reach survivors isolated by the disaster with hundreds of people still unaccounted for across the region.
The tragedy of so much death and destruction was compounded by warnings that decades of deforestation caused by unchecked development, mining and palm oil plantations may have worsened the devastation. Calls grew for the government to act.
'We need the government to investigate and fix forest management,' said Rangga Adiputra, a 31-year-old teacher whose home in West Sumatra was swept away. The hills above his village on the outskirts of Padang city had been scarred by illegal logging.
'We don't want this costly disaster to happen again,' he said.
Authorities said 837 people were confirmed dead in Indonesia, 479 in Sri Lanka and 185 in Thailand, as well as three in Malaysia.
Many villages in Indonesia and Sri Lanka remained buried under mud and debris, with 861 people still unaccounted for in both countries.
Thousands reportedly faced severe shortages of food and clean water in cut off areas. The floods and landslides washed away roads and bridges and knocked out telecommunications, leaving many communities inaccessible.
Indonesian television showed images of huge amounts of felled timber carried downstream in North Sumatra, West Sumatra and Aceh provinces.
The leading Indonesian environmental group WALHI said that decades of deforestation — driven by mining, palm oil plantations and illegal logging — stripped away natural defenses that once absorbed rainfall and stabilized soil.
'The disaster was not just nature's fury, it was amplified by decades of deforestation,' said Rianda Purba, an activist with the group. 'Deforestation and unchecked development have stripped Sumatra of its resilience.'
The group recorded almost 600,000 acres of primary forest were lost in 2024 alone, leaving Sumatra's small river basins dangerously exposed.
Another environmental group, Global Forest Watch, has said the flood-inundated Indonesian provinces of Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra have since 2000 lost 7,569 square miles of forest, an area larger than the state of New Jersey.
'Unless restoration begins now, more lives will be lost,' Purba warned.
Massive piles of neatly cut timber lay scattered among the debris across Parkit Beach, a sight that stunned emergency crews deployed to the area.
'From their shape, it was clear these were not just trees torn out naturally by the flood, but timber that had been deliberately cut,' said a member of a clean-up crew, Neviana, who goes by a single name.
Another resident of Padang, Ria Wati, 38, observed the same.
'The logs carried by the floods weren't the kind you get from a flash flood,' she said, 'If old trees were uprooted, you would see roots and fragile bark. But these were clean, neatly cut pieces of wood … they looked like the result of illegal logging.'
President Prabowo Subianto pledged policy reforms after visiting flood-hit areas on Monday.
'We must truly prevent deforestation and forest destruction. Protecting our forests is crucial,' Prabowo said.
In Batang Toru, the worst-hit areas in North Sumatra, where seven companies operate, hundreds of hectares had been cleared for gold mining and energy projects, leaving slopes exposed and riverbeds choked with sediment. Rivers there were swollen with runoff and timber, while villages were buried or swept away.
Lawmakers called for the companies' permits to be revoked.
Facing public outrage, Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq announced an investigation into eight companies suspected of worsening the disaster. He said environmental permits will be reviewed and future assessments must factor in extreme rainfall scenarios.
'Someone must be held accountable,' he said.
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PADANG, Indonesia — Deaths from last week's catastrophic floods and landslides in parts of Asia surged past 1,500 Thursday as rescue teams raced to reach survivors isolated by the disaster with…

Indonesia Extreme Weather Asia Flooding
PADANG, Indonesia (AP) — Deaths from last week's catastrophic floods and landslides in parts of Asia surged past 1,500 Thursday as rescue teams raced to reach survivors isolated by the disaster with hundreds of people still unaccounted for across the region.
The tragedy of so much death and destruction was compounded by warnings that decades of deforestation caused by unchecked development, mining and palm oil plantations may have worsened the devastation. Calls grew for the government to act.
'We need the government to investigate and fix forest management,' said Rangga Adiputra, a 31-year-old teacher whose home in West Sumatra was swept away. The hills above his village on the outskirts of Padang city had been scarred by illegal logging.
'We don't want this costly disaster to happen again," he said.
Authorities said 837 people were confirmed dead in Indonesia, 479 in Sri Lanka and 185 in Thailand, as well as three in Malaysia.
Many villages in Indonesia and Sri Lanka remained buried under mud and debris, with 861 people still unaccounted for in both countries.
Thousands reportedly faced severe shortages of food and clean water in cut off areas. The floods and landslides washed away roads and bridges and knocked out telecommunications, leaving many communities inaccessible.
Indonesian television showed images of huge amounts of felled timber carried downstream in North Sumatra, West Sumatra and Aceh provinces.
The leading Indonesian environmental group WALHI said that decades of deforestation — driven by mining, palm oil plantations, and illegal logging — stripped away natural defenses that once absorbed rainfall and stabilized soil.
'The disaster was not just nature's fury, it was amplified by decades of deforestation,' said Rianda Purba, an activist with the group. 'Deforestation and unchecked development have stripped Sumatra of its resilience.'
The group recorded more than 240,000 hectares (nearly 600,000 acres) of primary forest were lost in 2024 alone, leaving Sumatra's small river basins dangerously exposed.
Another environmental group, Global Forest Watch, has said the flood-inundated Indonesian provinces of Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra have since 2000 lost 19,600 square kilometers (7,569 square miles) of forest, an area larger than the state of New Jersey.
"Unless restoration begins now, more lives will be lost,' Purba warned.
Massive piles of neatly cut timber lay scattered among the debris across Parkit Beach, a sight that stunned emergency crews deployed to the area.
'From their shape, it was clear these were not just trees torn out naturally by the flood, but timber that had been deliberately cut,' said a member of a clean-up crew, Neviana, who goes by a single name.
Another resident of Padang, Ria Wati, 38, observed the same.
'The logs carried by the floods weren't the kind you get from a flash flood,' she said, 'If old trees were uprooted, you would see roots and fragile bark. But these were clean, neatly cut pieces of wood ... they looked like the result of illegal logging.'
President Prabowo Subianto pledged policy reforms after visiting flood-hit areas on Monday.
"We must truly prevent deforestation and forest destruction. Protecting our forests is crucial,' Prabowo said.
In Batang Toru, the worst-hit areas in North Sumatra, where seven companies operate, hundreds of hectares had been cleared for gold mining and energy projects, leaving slopes exposed and riverbeds choked with sediment. Rivers there were swollen with runoff and timber, while villages were buried or swept away.
Lawmakers called for the companies' permits to be revoked.
Facing public outrage, Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq announced an investigation into eight companies suspected of worsening the disaster. He said environmental permits will be reviewed and future assessments must factor in extreme rainfall scenarios.
'Someone must be held accountable,' he said.
___
Karmini reported from Jakarta. Krishan Francis in Colombo, Sri Lanka, contributed reporting.

PADANG, Indonesia -- Deaths from last week's catastrophic floods and landslides in parts of Asia surged past 1,500 Thursday as rescue teams raced to reach survivors isolated by the disaster with hundreds of people still unaccounted for across the region.
The tragedy of so much death and destruction was compounded by warnings that decades of deforestation caused by unchecked development, mining and palm oil plantations may have worsened the devastation. Calls grew for the government to act.
'We need the government to investigate and fix forest management,' said Rangga Adiputra, a 31-year-old teacher whose home in West Sumatra was swept away. The hills above his village on the outskirts of Padang city had been scarred by illegal logging.
'We don't want this costly disaster to happen again," he said.
Authorities said 837 people were confirmed dead in Indonesia, 479 in Sri Lanka and 185 in Thailand, as well as three in Malaysia.
Many villages in Indonesia and Sri Lanka remained buried under mud and debris, with 861 people still unaccounted for in both countries.
Thousands reportedly faced severe shortages of food and clean water in cut off areas. The floods and landslides washed away roads and bridges and knocked out telecommunications, leaving many communities inaccessible.
Indonesian television showed images of huge amounts of felled timber carried downstream in North Sumatra, West Sumatra and Aceh provinces.
The leading Indonesian environmental group WALHI said that decades of deforestation — driven by mining, palm oil plantations, and illegal logging — stripped away natural defenses that once absorbed rainfall and stabilized soil.
'The disaster was not just nature's fury, it was amplified by decades of deforestation,' said Rianda Purba, an activist with the group. 'Deforestation and unchecked development have stripped Sumatra of its resilience.'
The group recorded more than 240,000 hectares (nearly 600,000 acres) of primary forest were lost in 2024 alone, leaving Sumatra's small river basins dangerously exposed.
Another environmental group, Global Forest Watch, has said the flood-inundated Indonesian provinces of Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra have since 2000 lost 19,600 square kilometers (7,569 square miles) of forest, an area larger than the state of New Jersey.
"Unless restoration begins now, more lives will be lost,' Purba warned.
Massive piles of neatly cut timber lay scattered among the debris across Parkit Beach, a sight that stunned emergency crews deployed to the area.
'From their shape, it was clear these were not just trees torn out naturally by the flood, but timber that had been deliberately cut,' said a member of a clean-up crew, Neviana, who goes by a single name.
Another resident of Padang, Ria Wati, 38, observed the same.
'The logs carried by the floods weren't the kind you get from a flash flood,' she said, 'If old trees were uprooted, you would see roots and fragile bark. But these were clean, neatly cut pieces of wood ... they looked like the result of illegal logging.'
President Prabowo Subianto pledged policy reforms after visiting flood-hit areas on Monday.
"We must truly prevent deforestation and forest destruction. Protecting our forests is crucial,' Prabowo said.
In Batang Toru, the worst-hit areas in North Sumatra, where seven companies operate, hundreds of hectares had been cleared for gold mining and energy projects, leaving slopes exposed and riverbeds choked with sediment. Rivers there were swollen with runoff and timber, while villages were buried or swept away.
Lawmakers called for the companies' permits to be revoked.
Facing public outrage, Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq announced an investigation into eight companies suspected of worsening the disaster. He said environmental permits will be reviewed and future assessments must factor in extreme rainfall scenarios.
'Someone must be held accountable,' he said.

Deaths from last week's catastrophic floods and landslides in parts of Asia have surged past 1,500

PADANG, Indonesia (AP) — Deaths from last week's catastrophic floods and landslides in parts of Asia surged past 1,500 Thursday as rescue teams raced to reach survivors isolated by the disaster with hundreds of people still unaccounted for across the region.
The tragedy of so much death and destruction was compounded by warnings that decades of deforestation caused by unchecked development, mining and palm oil plantations may have worsened the devastation. Calls grew for the government to act.
'We need the government to investigate and fix forest management,' said Rangga Adiputra, a 31-year-old teacher whose home in West Sumatra was swept away. The hills above his village on the outskirts of Padang city had been scarred by illegal logging.
'We don't want this costly disaster to happen again,' he said.
Authorities said 837 people were confirmed dead in Indonesia, 479 in Sri Lanka and 185 in Thailand, as well as three in Malaysia.
Many villages in Indonesia and Sri Lanka remained buried under mud and debris, with 861 people still unaccounted for in both countries.
Thousands reportedly faced severe shortages of food and clean water in cut off areas. The floods and landslides washed away roads and bridges and knocked out telecommunications, leaving many communities inaccessible.
Indonesian television showed images of huge amounts of felled timber carried downstream in North Sumatra, West Sumatra and Aceh provinces.
The leading Indonesian environmental group WALHI said that decades of deforestation — driven by mining, palm oil plantations, and illegal logging — stripped away natural defenses that once absorbed rainfall and stabilized soil.
'The disaster was not just nature's fury, it was amplified by decades of deforestation,' said Rianda Purba, an activist with the group. 'Deforestation and unchecked development have stripped Sumatra of its resilience.'
The group recorded more than 240,000 hectares (nearly 600,000 acres) of primary forest were lost in 2024 alone, leaving Sumatra's small river basins dangerously exposed.
Another environmental group, Global Forest Watch, has said the flood-inundated Indonesian provinces of Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra have since 2000 lost 19,600 square kilometers (7,569 square miles) of forest, an area larger than the state of New Jersey.
'Unless restoration begins now, more lives will be lost,' Purba warned.
Massive piles of neatly cut timber lay scattered among the debris across Parkit Beach, a sight that stunned emergency crews deployed to the area.
'From their shape, it was clear these were not just trees torn out naturally by the flood, but timber that had been deliberately cut,' said a member of a clean-up crew, Neviana, who goes by a single name.
Another resident of Padang, Ria Wati, 38, observed the same.
'The logs carried by the floods weren't the kind you get from a flash flood,' she said, 'If old trees were uprooted, you would see roots and fragile bark. But these were clean, neatly cut pieces of wood … they looked like the result of illegal logging.'
President Prabowo Subianto pledged policy reforms after visiting flood-hit areas on Monday.
'We must truly prevent deforestation and forest destruction. Protecting our forests is crucial,' Prabowo said.
In Batang Toru, the worst-hit areas in North Sumatra, where seven companies operate, hundreds of hectares had been cleared for gold mining and energy projects, leaving slopes exposed and riverbeds choked with sediment. Rivers there were swollen with runoff and timber, while villages were buried or swept away.
Lawmakers called for the companies' permits to be revoked.
Facing public outrage, Environment Minister Hanif Faisol Nurofiq announced an investigation into eight companies suspected of worsening the disaster. He said environmental permits will be reviewed and future assessments must factor in extreme rainfall scenarios.
'Someone must be held accountable,' he said.
___
Karmini reported from Jakarta. Krishan Francis in Colombo, Sri Lanka, contributed reporting.

Deaths from last week's catastrophic floods and landslides in parts of Asia have surged past 1,500.

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Environmentalists, experts and even Indonesia's government have pointed to the role forest loss played in flash flooding and landslides.
JAKARTA - The deadly flooding that has killed hundreds in Indonesia was largely the result of monsoon rains and a rare tropical storm. But something else may have played a role: deforestation.
Environmentalists, experts and even Indonesia's government have pointed to the role forest loss played in
flash flooding and landslides that washed torrents of mud into villages and stranded residents on roofs.
Forests help absorb rainfall and stabilise the ground held by their roots, and their absence makes areas more prone to flash flooding and landslides.
Indonesia is regularly among the countries in the world
with the largest annual forest loss.
Mining, plantations and fires have caused the clearance of large tracts of the country's lush rainforest over recent decades.
In 2024, over 240,000ha of primary forest was lost, and that was less than the year before, according to analysis by conservation start-up The TreeMap's Nusantara Atlas project.
'Forests upstream act as a protective barrier, a bit like a sponge,' explained Mr David Gaveau, founder of The TreeMap.
'The canopy captures some of the rain before it reaches the ground. The roots also help stabilise the soil. When the forest is cleared upstream, rainwater runs off rapidly into rivers creating flash floods.'
'Prevent deforestation'
Environmentalists have long urged the government to better protect the country's forests, which are a key carbon sink, absorbing planet-warming carbon dioxide.
Indonesia's forests are also home to enormous biodiversity and some of the world's most threatened species, including orangutans.
And in the wake of the flooding, even the country's president urged action.
'We must truly prevent deforestation and forest destruction,' President Prabowo Subianto said on Nov 28 as the scale of the disaster began to emerge. 'Protecting our forests is crucial.'
The floods carried not only collapsed hillsides and torrents of mud, but also timber that fuelled speculation about the link between deforestation and the disaster.
On one beach in Padang, AFP saw workers dressed in orange using chainsaws to break up massive logs strewn along the sand.
The forestry ministry is reportedly investigating claims of illegal logging in affected areas, and Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni called the disaster a chance to 'evaluate our policies'.
'The pendulum between the economy and ecology seems to have swung too far towards the economy and needs to be pulled back to the centre,' he said over the weekend.
That is a message environmentalists in Indonesia have long delivered.
In one of the worst-affected areas, Batang Toru, 'there are seven companies operating along the upstream region,' said Ms Uli Arta Siagian, forest and plantation campaign manager for conservation group Walhi.
'There is a gold mine that has already cleared around 300ha of forest cover... the Batang Toru Hydropower Plant has caused the loss of 350ha of forest,' she told AFP.
Large tracts of forest have also been converted into palm oil plantations.
'All of this contributes to increasing our vulnerability.'
Protection and restoration
Sumatra, where the flood damage was concentrated, is particularly vulnerable because its river basins are relatively small, explained Mr Kiki Taufik, head of Greenpeace Indonesia's forest campaign.
'The massive change in forest cover is the main factor in the occurrence of flash floods,' he told AFP, accusing the government of 'recklessly and carelessly' granting permits for mines and plantations.
Deforestation rates in Sumatra are among the highest in Indonesia, according to Dr Herry Purnomo, country director at the Centre for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF).
Losing forest also raises flooding risks because soil washes into rivers, raising the riverbed and reducing the capacity of waterways to absorb sudden torrential downpours, he said.
Two things are needed, added Dr Herry, a professor at IPB University in Bogor: 'Prevent deforestation, avoid it, and also carry out restoration.' AFP

Mining, plantations and fires have caused the clearance of large tracts of the country's lush rainforest. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.

Global Deforestation

This section is intended to collect data on the current status of global deforestation. This is accomplished through the utilization of APIs, databases, news sources, MapBuilders, and academic journals.

Global forest loss map

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