Civil Society Urges EU to Address Papua Deforestation in EUDR
Civil Society groups Press EU for Action on Papua Rainforest Deforestation
Table of Contents
- Civil Society groups Press EU for Action on Papua Rainforest Deforestation
- Concerns Over Deforestation and Indigenous Rights
- EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) Benchmarking System
- The Threat of Plantation Expansion
- Impact on Indigenous Communities
- Deforestation Projects and EUDR Limitations
- Lasting Plantation Limits and Future Risks
- Call to Action for the European Commission
- Civil Society Groups Press EU for Action on Papua Rainforest Deforestation: A Q&A Guide
- What is the main concern regarding deforestation in Papua?
- Which organizations are involved in this effort?
- What is the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and how does it relate to Papua?
- Why is Article 29(4)(d) of the EUDR significant?
- what is the threat of plantation expansion in Papua?
- How does deforestation in Papua impact Indigenous communities?
- What are the limitations of the EUDR in the context of Papua’s deforestation?
- What are the lasting plantation limits and future risks in papua?
- What actions are civil society organizations urging the European Commission to take?
- Key Concerns and Actions
Jakarta – A coalition of Indonesian civil society organizations is appealing to teh European Union to address the escalating deforestation crisis in Papua and its impact on Indigenous communities.
Concerns Over Deforestation and Indigenous Rights
Twenty-two Indonesian civil society organizations have jointly sent a letter to European Union Commissioners, voicing deep concerns about the deteriorating state of Papua’s rainforests. The region is threatened by the potential deforestation of 2 million hectares of forest, which poses meaningful risks to the Indigenous Malind and Yei communities.
The letter was directed to key EU figures, including Teresa Ribera, Kaja Kallas, Jessica Roswall, Jozef Síkela, and Maroš Šefovi.
EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) Benchmarking System
The civil society organizations are urging the European Commission to seriously consider the deforestation crisis and threats to Indigenous rights in Papua as part of its country risk assessment within the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) benchmarking system. This system will classify countries or regions as low, standard, or high risk for deforestation and human rights violations, with classifications to be steadfast before June 30, 2025.
Article 29 of the EUDR mandates that the risk assessment must consider deforestation rates and agricultural land expansion. Moreover, Article 29(4)(d) requires the European Commission to consider the existence of laws protecting human rights, Indigenous rights, anti-corruption measures, and openness in data necessary to comply with the EUDR.
Andi Muttaqien, Executive Director of Satya bumi, stated, “We urge the European Commission to ensure that Article 29(4)(d) is applied consistently and strictly across all countries and regions, including West Papua. Without a rigorous approach to forest and Indigenous rights protection, the EUDR framework risks failing to achieve its goal of preventing deforestation and human rights violations in global supply chains.”
The Threat of Plantation Expansion
A report submitted to the European Commission in 2024, supported by over 30 Indonesian civil society organizations, highlighted how the expansion of large-scale plantations in Papua threatens both ecosystem sustainability and the rights of Indigenous communities who depend on the forests.Papua holds one of the largest remaining reserves of natural forests designated for plantation industries in Indonesia, covering more than 2 million hectares, 1.9 million of which are allocated solely for palm oil and timber commodities.
The organizations are urging the European Union to ensure that the risk classification under the EUDR benchmarking scheme reflects the vulnerability of Papua to deforestation, aligning with the realities on the ground.
Impact on Indigenous Communities
Franky Samperante, Director of the Pusaka Bentala Rakyat Foundation, emphasized that forest clearing in Papua clearly violates the rights of Indigenous communities living within and around plantation concessions, especially the Malind and Yei peoples.
“The European Union must consider the destruction of livelihoods, the economic dispossession, and the social fragmentation occurring in several districts in South Papua, including the intimidation by military and police forces. Europe’s clean consumption should not only be free from deforestation but also free from the destruction of human dignity,”
Franky Samperante, Director of the Pusaka Bentala Rakyat Foundation
Deforestation Projects and EUDR Limitations
The large-scale deforestation project in Papua designates 1.5 million hectares for rice fields and 500,000 hectares for sugarcane plantations. Although these two commodities are not included in the EUDR, there is a risk that timber from forest clearing coudl enter the European market. Deforestation potential should be assessed based on the total forest area cleared—not just the seven commodities covered by the EUDR.
Lasting Plantation Limits and Future Risks
Research indicates that the maximum sustainable plantation area for oil palm in Indonesia,based on the country’s Environmental Carrying Capacity,is 18.1 million hectares. Currently, Indonesia’s oil palm plantations cover 17.7 million hectares. With ambitions to open 20 million hectares of land for food and energy plantations, Papua faces the risk of rapid deforestation.
Giorgio Budi Indrarto,Deputy Director of Yayasan MADANI Berkelanjutan,noted,“Papua is a distinctive region and its protection is crucial. Our modeling results indicate that the cap for oil palm progress in Papua is 290,837 hectares. Currently, oil palm plantation development has reached 290,659 hectares, meaning it has already reached the cap. The EU Commission should carefully assess this situation when considering benchmarking.”
Call to Action for the European Commission
The European Commission must maximize the use of the EUDR to halt deforestation and protect Indigenous communities. The letter specifically calls on the EU to:
- Prioritize the risk of deforestation in Papua related to food and energy plantations, including the lack of community involvement, which constitutes a potential human rights violation.
- Request the UN Human Rights Council and other relevant bodies to investigate weather the situation in West Papua constitutes a violation of Indonesia’s international human rights obligations.
- Support Indonesia in finding sustainable ways to enhance food and energy security, including increasing agricultural productivity on existing land, reducing food waste, and prioritizing the use of degraded land for expansion.
Civil Society Groups Press EU for Action on Papua Rainforest Deforestation: A Q&A Guide
A coalition of Indonesian civil society organizations is calling on the European Union to take action on the increasing deforestation crisis in Papua and its impact on Indigenous communities. This article breaks down the key issues and concerns.
What is the main concern regarding deforestation in Papua?
The primary concern is the potential deforestation of 2 million hectares of forest in Papua, which poses substantial risks to the Indigenous Malind and Yei communities and their livelihoods.
Which organizations are involved in this effort?
Twenty-two Indonesian civil society organizations have jointly sent a letter to European Union Commissioners, urging them to address the deforestation crisis. Key figures like Franky Samperante from the Pusaka Bentala Rakyat Foundation and Andi Muttaqien from Satya Bumi are actively involved.
What is the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and how does it relate to Papua?
The EUDR is the European Union Deforestation regulation. Civil society organizations are urging the european Commission to consider deforestation and threats to Indigenous rights in Papua as part of its country risk assessment within the EUDR benchmarking system. This system classifies countries or regions as low, standard, or high risk for deforestation and human rights violations.
What does the EUDR benchmarking system entail?
the EUDR benchmarking system aims to classify countries or regions based on their risk levels regarding deforestation and human rights violations. Classifications are expected to be steadfast before June 30,2025.
What factors does the EUDR risk assessment consider?
The risk assessment considers deforestation rates, agricultural land expansion, laws protecting human rights and indigenous rights, anti-corruption measures, and transparency in data relevant to complying with the EUDR.
Why is Article 29(4)(d) of the EUDR significant?
Article 29(4)(d) of the EUDR requires the European Commission to consider the existence of laws protecting human rights, Indigenous rights, anti-corruption measures, and openness in data necessary to comply with the EUDR. Civil society organizations are urging the European Commission to ensure that Article 29(4)(d) is applied consistently and strictly across all countries and regions,including West Papua.
what is the threat of plantation expansion in Papua?
Papua holds one of the largest remaining reserves of natural forests designated for plantation industries in Indonesia, covering more than 2 million hectares, with 1.9 million hectares allocated solely for palm oil and timber commodities. The expansion of large-scale plantations threatens both ecosystem sustainability and the rights of Indigenous communities.
How does deforestation in Papua impact Indigenous communities?
Forest clearing in Papua violates the rights of Indigenous communities living within and around plantation concessions, particularly the Malind and Yei peoples. This leads to the destruction of livelihoods, economic dispossession, social fragmentation, and intimidation by military and police forces.
What are the limitations of the EUDR in the context of Papua’s deforestation?
The large-scale deforestation project in Papua designates land for rice fields and sugarcane plantations, which are not included in the EUDR’s list of commodities. However,timber from forest clearing could still enter the European market. Deforestation potential should be assessed based on the total forest area cleared—not just the seven commodities covered by the EUDR.
What are the lasting plantation limits and future risks in papua?
Research indicates that the maximum lasting plantation area for oil palm in Indonesia, based on the country’s Environmental Carrying Capacity, is 18.1 million hectares. Currently, Indonesia’s oil palm plantations cover 17.7 million hectares. With ambitions to open 20 million hectares of land for food and energy plantations, Papua faces the risk of rapid deforestation.
Papua has almost reached its cap for oil palm progress,making its protection crucial.
What actions are civil society organizations urging the European Commission to take?
Civil society organizations are urging the european Commission to:
- Prioritize the risk of deforestation in Papua related to food and energy plantations, including the lack of community involvement, which constitutes a potential human rights violation.
- request the UN Human Rights Council and other relevant bodies to investigate whether the situation in west Papua constitutes a violation of Indonesia’s international human rights obligations.
- Support Indonesia in finding sustainable ways to enhance food and energy security,including increasing agricultural productivity on existing land,reducing food waste,and prioritizing the use of degraded land for expansion
Key Concerns and Actions
| Concern | Detail |
| :—————————– | :————————————————————————————————————————————— |
| Deforestation Threat | Potential clearing of 2 million hectares in Papua |
| Impact on Indigenous Rights | Violation of rights,destruction of livelihoods,economic dispossession of Malind and Yei peoples |
| EUDR Benchmarking | Urging EU to consider papua’s deforestation crisis in its risk assessment |
| Plantation Expansion | Threat to ecosystem and Indigenous rights due to large-scale plantations |
| EUDR Limitations | Focus on specific commodities excludes rice and sugarcane plantations,but timber from clearing can still enter EU market |
| Call to Action | Prioritize risks,investigate human rights violations,support sustainable food and energy security in Indonesia |