Indonesia

Environmental activists have warned of dire implications to the Indonesia’s rainforests, wildlife and indigenous communities following the release of new data showing the country has the third-biggest area of land in the world given over to foreign control since 2000.

The Indonesian government is to promote business certainty by raising the price of electricity produced by geothermal power plants. The authorities hope the move will boost a number of geothermal projects that have stalled due to financial problems.

The world's largest REDD+ project, which should save 119 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent over 30 years, has finally been given the go-ahead by the Indonesian government after spending three years in limbo. The project at the 64,000 hectare Rimba Raya Biodiversity Reserve in Borneo will generate carbon credits from preserving the carbon-rich tropical peat swamp and forest in the face of development pressure from palm oil plantations. Under the REDD+ scheme the credits can be purchased by companies seeking to reduce their emissions through the voluntary carbon market.

Coca-Cola Amatil Indonesia and beachwear brand Quiksilver have signed an agreement with Indonesian flag-carrier airline, Garuda, to co-operate on reducing rubbish along the coast of Bali.

Indonesian Forestry Minister Zulkifli Hasan has confirmed the government is to extend the 2011 forest moratorium that was due to expire this month.