PEFC has certified the Indonesian Forestry Certification Co-operation (IFCC). The endorsement is a watershed moment for Indonesia, considering its high deforestation rate, a PEFC official said in a statement.
PEFC has certified the Indonesian Forestry Certification Co-operation (IFCC). The endorsement is a watershed moment for Indonesia, considering its high deforestation rate, a PEFC official said in a statement.
Indonesia has the third-largest rainforest in the world. More than 50 percent of the country's land area is forested and an estimated 80 million Indonesians depend on forests for their wellbeing.
Small and industrial-sized forestry operations, including pulp and paper producers, contribute approximately $21 billion to the economy, or 3.5 percent of the country's GDP. More than 4 million Indonesians are employed by the industry, according to PEFC.
“Forest certification represents an important mechanism to verify and promote sustainable forest management, thus safeguarding the environmental, social and economic benefits that forests provide," said Ben Gunneberg, secretary general of PEFC International, in a statement. "This is especially important in a country like Indonesia given the significance of its forest resources both in terms of protecting its invaluable biodiversity and its contribution to the livelihoods of the millions of people that depend on forest resources to make a living.”