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Indonesia’s President Jokowi this week attended President Biden’s Earth Day Summit. The Summit hosts 40 world leaders, including eight – a full 20 per cent of attendees –  from the European Union. It’s worth observing that just three attendees are from Southeast Asia: Indonesia, Singapore and Vietnam. Unlike past conferences, however, the emphasis does not

A number of key stakeholders from across the Indonesian Palm Oil Community have written to the European Commission urging the European Union “not to follow Greenpeace’s destructive approach” on sustainability certification for palm oil. The letter was signed by – Indonesian Palm Oil Association (GAPKI), Indonesian Palm Oil Board (DMSI), National Action Plan of Indonesian

Coinciding with International Forest Day, Deputy to the Coordinating Economics Minister, Musdalifah Mahmud and Expert Staff at the Office of the Vice President, Fadhil Hasan, write in The Jakarta Post that Indonesia’s forests, the largest forest area in Asia, “have long supported the welfare of communities and, above all, they form the backbone of the country’s

Earthworm Foundation, the quasi-NGO/for-profit business formerly known as The Forest Trust, released a new report arguing that overcapacity in palm oil mills in Kalimantan is driving forest loss. Let’s be clear: Earthworm’s report aims to cut off investment in the palm oil supply chain, particularly in the rural areas of Central Kalimantan. This is a

The decision by Swiss voters to support truth over fear, opportunity over barriers and small farmers from the Global South was a big win. This did not occur in a vacuum. Over the last several months, senior officials at the highest level in Indonesia and ASEAN have laid down the groundwork for solid public initiatives

Greenpeace released a report that criticizes commodity certification systems across the globe. This includes certification systems for palm oil, such as RSPO, as well as national standards endorsed and supported by the Indonesian and Malaysian governments, ISPO and MSPO respectively. Unfortunately, Greenpeace’s report is peddling claims that do not comport with reality. Moreover, it is

Jakarta (March 11, 2021) – Following the release of the Greenpeace report, the Indonesian Palm Oil Association (Gabungan Pengusaha Kelapa Sawit Indonesia, GAPKI) issued the following statement: “Unfortunately, Greenpeace has chosen to engage in tabloid-style attacks and falsehoods. Their allegations do not comport with reality. The Indonesian palm oil community is 100% committed to sustainable

Jakarta (March 7, 2021) – Following today’s approval by Swiss voters of the Indonesia – European Free Trade Association (EFTA) Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IE-CEPA), the Indonesian Palm Oil Association (Gabungan Pengusaha Kelapa Sawit Indonesia, GAPKI) issued the following statement: “We are grateful for the outcome of today’s vote. The trade deal is a win-win for the palm

The Swiss Federal Council has urged voters to support the Indonesia-EFTA Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IE-CEPA) ahead of a national referendum on the trade agreement. The Federal Council is Switzerland’s highest level of federal government. Its endorsement of the IE-CEPA states that “A rejection of this agreement would be a missed opportunity not only for

Indonesian Palm Oil Association (GAPKI) has made its submission to the EU Forests Regulation public consultation on reducing deforestation and forest degradation. As background, the European Commission is proposing a Due Diligence regulation to tackle deforestation / forest degradation with the aim to prevent European imports and consumption ‘causing’ deforestation, particularly from tropical forests. To