kalimantan

• Oil Palm Industry makes: 28.7 billion (2022)
• Forest Fires and Haze- Over 1 million Hectares of oil palm is on peatland - carbon released during fires
• Timber Industry- 80 percent of Dipterocarp wood products come from Kalimantan
• Employment- oil palm employs more than 3 million people vs 17 million people total in Kalimantan
• Transmigration Policy- 1.3 million families - forests cleared for housing and farmland
• According to the WHO, PM2.5 causes acute respiratory issues such as asthma and is increasingly linked to death from heart and lung disease.
• Response to forest fires -> temporary ban on new oil palm plantations (2018)
• Response to forest fires-> community based fire education. tools and training provided, west kalimantan "Fire Alertness Village Programme"
• Response to forest fires -> ASEAN transboundary haze pollution agreement (2002) - monitors and prevents haze pollution regionally
• Loss of biodiversity- Bornean Orangutan - decrease 50 percent in past 60 years, less than 105 000 left in wild
• response to loss of biodiversity- protected areas such as Tanjung Puting and Betung Kerihun National Parks
• response to loss of biodiversity - sustainable deforestation due to oil palm - palm oil certification RSPO - support sustainable oil palm
• displacement of people- dayak tribe - relies on forests for hunting, gathering, medicine

  adat rights - not officially recognised -> conflict for land with big companies

  • forced evictions - bc big companies have money to buy the land from the government for plantations or other industrial activities
  • population displacement- from forced evictions. end up in urban areas - problems: unemployment due to lack of working experience, discrimination, loss of cultural identity, not adjusting to different ways of life etc
• response to displacement of people - recognise + formalise adat rights

  • 2013, Indonesian gov rules that indigenous land should be returned, but work has been slow and inconsistent
  • NGOs support - legal assistance, raising awareness, campaigns for policy changes w adat rights
• Soil erosion- Deforested areas experience soil erosion rates of 90 tons / hectare a year
• soil erosion - loss of topsoil=decrease of soil fertility=decrease in agricultural productivity
• soil erosion- peat degradation -> sinking of ground (bc its not solid) and higher soil erosion rates -> deforested and drained peatlands erode at 20 cm a year
• sedimentation rates - Barito River, major river of Kalimantan - sedimentation rates 3 times over past few decades

  • degradation of water quality
  • marine organisms unable to adapt = loss of biodiversity
  • economic - costly treatments for drinkable water
• flooding- damage to infrastructure - houses, roads, offices, agricultural land -> increased rates of sedimentation and soil erosion
• flooding- displacement of communities - increased flood rates = more displacement = riskier to live in original places = people move bc no choice
• flooding- health risks - diarrhoea (left untreated + no resources -> death from dehydration) , hepatitis A, cholera (causes diarrhoea)
• flooding - impact - 2021, south kalimantan flooding :

  • more than 112 thousand people affected
  • submerged thousands of homes ->damage to infrastructure
  • cost 100 million USD in damages
• response to flooding, soil erosion and sedimentation - reforestation programmes -> help reduce erosion + sedimentation + flooding

  community based projects
• Why is there a high demand for palm oil in Indonesia?

  There is a high demand for palm oil because it is used in the industrial production of many products.
• How does Kalimantan's climate affect oil palm cultivation?

  Kalimantan's climate makes it easy to grow oil palm.
• What is a limitation of Kalimantan's soil conditions for oil palm cultivation?

  Kalimantan's soil conditions are not always suited for the cultivation of oil palm.
• What was the approximate loss of primary forest in Kalimantan between 2000 and 2020?

  Kalimantan lost approximately 14.5 million hectares of primary forest, around 30% of its forest cover.
• What position does Indonesia hold in the global palm oil production market?

  Indonesia is the world's largest producer of palm oil.
• How much palm oil does Indonesia produce annually?

  Indonesia produces 47 million metric tons of palm oil annually.
• What percentage of the global palm oil supply does Indonesia account for?

  Indonesia accounts for roughly 55-60% of the global palm oil supply.
• What types of hardwoods have been extensively logged in Kalimantan?

  Kalimantan's forests have been extensively logged for tropical hardwoods such as teak and meranti.
• What percentage of forest cover did Kalimantan lose between 1973 and 2015?

  Kalimantan lost approximately 30% of its forest cover between 1973 and 2015.
• What proportion of deforestation in Kalimantan was due to logging activities?

  More than 50% of deforestation was due to logging activities.
• What percentage of logging in Kalimantan was illegal?

  Over 70% of logging in Kalimantan was illegal.
• How do logging operations contribute to further deforestation in Kalimantan?

  Logging operations open up forests to illegal logging, agriculture, and land speculation through road construction.
• By what percentage did the network of roads in Kalimantan expand between 2000 and 2010?

  The network of roads expanded by 32% between 2000 and 2010.
• How does logging increase fire vulnerability in Kalimantan?

  Logging increases fire vulnerability by drying out the forest and creating open spaces.
• How many hectares of forests were destroyed by wildfires in Kalimantan during 1997-1998?

  Approximately 5 million hectares of forests were destroyed by wildfires in Kalimantan during 1997-1998.
• What mineral ores is Kalimantan rich in?

  Kalimantan is rich in mineral ores such as gold, silver, and copper.
• What chemical is primarily used in mining that can affect the environment?

  Cyanide is primarily used in mining and can destroy huge areas of forests.