A new report has expressed concerns about the safety of Southeast Asia's tropical forests, following the rise of the wood-to-energy sector.
The report, which is called 'Unheeded Warnings: Forest Biomass Threats to Tropical Forests in Indonesia and Southeast Asia', looks at how energy policies in Indonesia, Japan and South Korea push what it calls a 'false climate solution'.
The document is co-published by organisations such as Earth Insight, Auriga Nusantara and Forest Watch Indonesia.
It states that over 10 million hectares of intact Indonesian tropical forests are at risk.
This is due to demand for wood chips and pellets for biomass plants.
The report further states that threats to tropical forests span over 127 Key Biodiversity Areas. It adds that 400,000 hectares of undisturbed forests fall within energy plantation zones.
According to the text, haul zones of wood chip mills and co-firing plants could further endanger over 4.1 million hectares of orangutan habitat.
Timer Manurung, executive director of Auriga Nusantara, stated: "Japan and South Korea are driving the market for biomass plantation expansion. At the same time, the government’s co-firing policy could increase woody biomass consumption by 8,400%, posing an enormous threat to our remaining forests and local communitie.”
"Going down the path of biomass will not only increase greenhouse gas emissions but also undercut nature-based solutions that are crucial for addressing the climate crisis,” he added.
New report highlights biomass’ “threat” to Southeast Asian forests
