Indonesian Official Reassures Palm Oil Execs That Climate Strategy Won't Hurt Their Profits

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Well, that's a relief!

ndonesia's low carbon development strategy will not impede the palm oil industry's growth said a key Indonesian climate official during a meeting with leaders from the country's palm oil industry.

During a meeting on Thursday, Kuntoro Mangkusubroto, head of Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's REDD+ Task Force, asked industry leaders for their input on the government's effort to shift oil palm expansion to degraded non-forest land.

"It's only through sustainable management of natural resources we can achieve the government's target, with 7% economic growth and 26% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions," Kuntoro said in a statement. "Providing Indonesia’s industry with access to degraded land is a cornerstone of our plans for sustainable economic growth and it’s one of the key areas the REDD+ Taskforce is working on."

Kuntoro noted that Indonesia has more than 25 million hectares of degraded land, much of which could be suitable for oil palm and timber plantations. "This means sufficient land is available for the future growth of palm oil and forestry industry, even when the most optimistic growth scenarios for these sectors are taken into account," stated a press release from the REDD+ Task Force. "Palm oil makes a vital contribution to the Indonesian economy, but it’s also an industry where there is clear room for improvement in how resources are managed. A key initiative would be to move away from a land use system, where forests are converted for plantations, while degraded land remains unused."

EDIT

http://news.mongabay.com/2011/0429-indonesia_redd_palm.html