Sustainable Development in Indonesian Environmental Law; Lessons from Germany's Sustainable Forest Management Practices

Abstract

The work examines the impacts of rampant illegal logging practiced in Riau Province, which has placed the province ahead of other Indonesian provinces as having the highest rate of illegal timber exports. In addition to the problem of illegal logging, the Riau Province is also saddled with forest fires raging in Sumatra. These have been responsible for extensive environmental disaster experienced in this part of Indonesia - such as the destruction of biodiversity and their habitat and the release of atmospheric polluting gases. The illegal logging activities and the forest fires expose the affected region to soil erosion following heavy downpours experienced in the region. In Asia, for example, there are fundamental differences between the fire-related problems in India, China, Korea, Mongolia and Siberia on the one hand, and South-East Asia on the other. Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Papua New Guinea are experiencing ever greater problems with uncontrolled forest fire outbreaks. Key connected factors causing fires in land and forest use: First: The opening up and exploitation of forests to serve the wood industry is an important factor in that potentially. Second: The arrival of the wood industry is followed by new settlers who use fire to clear the land for cultivation; however, these settlers often lack a traditional relationship with the forests and thus have no interest in preserving it. Third: Apart from this exploitation of the forests, another important factor is the large-scale transformation from natural forest to woods for industry and oil palm plantations. This is highly profitable and was until recently even subsidized by the state. The instrument of choice for doing this, although officially forbidden, is fire.