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Asia Pulp and Paper

Forest destruction on paper plantation owned by APP in Sarawak, Malaysia

Forest devastation in a APP plantation

Asia Pulp and Paper (APP) - one of the largest paper companies in the world - is responsible for the destruction of a large area of Indonesian rainforests.

Piechart showing proportion of Indonsian rainforest destroyedDid you know?

Nearly 3/4 of Indonesia's rainforests have now been destroyed.

Global Forest Watch

These rainforests are home to species such as:

as well as millions of people from indigenous communities.

Did you know?

Indonesia is, in wildlife terms, the second richest country in the world

Bappenas, 1993

A World Bank study estimates that unless logging practices improve in Indonesia, there will be no more good quality forest left in Sumatra by 2005. It has also been estimated that 40% of the wood consumed by the Indonesian pulp and paper industry is likely to have come from illegal sources.

Warning: paper may contain rainforest

Friends of the Earth's investigations have found that APP's rainforest derived paper is:

  1. In widespread use in the UK
    Companies still selling APP paper include: York & Ford, Communisis BBF, WL Coller and David John.
  2. Anonymous
    Most of the paper produced by APP is re-branded so you can't tell it's been produced by them or if it comes from rainforest.
  3. Supported by British banks
    Over 300 financial institutions such as Barclays Bank and HSBC have financed Asia Pulp and Paper over the last 10 years.

Friends of the Earth says

  • UK money shouldn't be used to fund rainforest destruction

Resource

Rogue Traders
(PDF - 281K) March 2002
Report on Morgan Stanley's financing of socially and environmentally controversial projects in Asia - including Asia Pulp and Paper. By International Rivers Network, Students for a Free Tibet, Free Tibet Campaign and Friends of the Earth.

Asia Pulp and Paper
(PDF) June 2001
Briefing on APP and the Indonesian pulp and paper industry.

Paper Tiger, Hidden Dragons
(PDF†)
format - 1.7MB) May 2001
A Friends of the Earth Report detailing the responsibility of international financial institutions for Indonesian forest destruction, social conflict and the financial crisis of Asia Pulp and Paper.


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Last modified: May 2008