TROPICAL DEFORESTATION, BIOFUELS, PALM OIL AND INDONESIA

That this House recognises the manifold value of tropical rainforests; notes evidence presented at the 2009 American Association for the Advancement of Science that deforestation in South East Asia and elsewhere in the tropics is in part being spurred by US and EU biofuel incentives, both indirectly and directly, including via demand for palm oil; regrets Indonesia's decision to resume planting oil palms on rainforest peatlands, which causes huge releases of carbon dioxide; notes the warning by the EU Joint Research Centre that, by such releases alone, the EU biofuel programme is likely to cause more emissions than it saves; further notes the emergency statement by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination against Indonesia for failing to safeguard indigenous peoples' rights in relation to oil palm concessions; urges the government of Indonesia to restore its moratorium on new peatland plantations and to attend more closely to the rights of all its citizens; and further recognises the need both to tackle demand for commodities that incentivise deforestation and for an effective, equitable international agreement to curb deforestation and loss of major carbon sinks in a manner that ensures justice for forest peoples.