Washington, DC – Climate change and Indonesia’s peatland and forest fires were discussed by United States President Barack Obama and Indonesian President Joko Widodo during their bilateral meeting at the White House today. The talks took place following the news that Widodo would cut his state visit short as fires continue to devastate Indonesia’s rainforest and peatlands [1], currently releasing carbon into the atmosphere at a rate greater than all U.S. economic activity combined.
On the topics discussed, Greenpeace Southeast Asia’s Indonesia Forests Campaign Leader, Bustar Maitar, said:
“As President Joko Widodo flew to Washington, Indonesian citizens were fleeing from some of the worst forest fires that we have ever seen. President Widodo’s decision to fight these fires by protecting and restoring peatlands is a good first step although protection needs to cover forests too. Now the private sector must respond in kind with an immediate, industry-wide moratorium on forest and peatland development. U.S. brands should support progressive Indonesian businesses by refusing to buy from reckless companies that put lives at risk by destroying rainforests.”
Greenpeace U.S. Forest Campaign Director, Rolf Skar, said:
“President Obama learned about Indonesia’s amazing rainforests during his time there as a child. Since then an area bigger than Germany has been destroyed in those rainforests, mostly by palm oil and paper companies. Many U.S. brands give their customers “no deforestation” promises but despite these commitments, deforestation-linked palm oil is still being bought by U.S. companies and ends up on our supermarket shelves. Companies need to raise their ambitions and work together to close the market to suppliers that destroy rainforests.”
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Media contacts
Rodrigo Estrada, Greenpeace USA, +1 202-344-9292 [email protected]
Notes to editor
[1] Greenpeace Briefing Paper on the 2015 Forest and Peatlands Fire & Smoke Haze
