Indonesia sees the return of palm oil deforestation after a decade-long decline

Deforestation for oil palm plantations has seen a resurgence in Indonesia, the world’s largest palm oil producer, marking the second consecutive year of increased forest loss and reversing a decade-long trend of decline. Notably, approximately one-third of the deforestation recorded in 2023 took place on carbon-rich peatlands, amplifying concerns over potential greenhouse gas emissions as these areas are cleared and drained to make way for plantation expansion. Traditionally, deforestation activities for palm oil plantations in Indonesia were concentrated on the island of Sumatra. However, the recent surge observed over the past two years has predominantly occurred on the islands of Indonesian Borneo and Papua. Among the entities contributing significantly to deforestation is the company Ciliandry Anky Abadi (CAA), whose three subsidiaries were responsible for clearing 2,302 hectares (5,688 acres) across their concessions. An investigation conducted by The Gecko Project has linked ...