Jakarta (VNA) - Deforestation in Indonesia has to date been at its lowest level in the recent two decades, with the area of forest lost halved between 2015 and 2021.

According to a report by the World Resources Institute, a decade ago, Indonesia saw its rainforests destroyed at a faster rate than most other countries. The main reasons behind were taking land for the construction and expansion of oil palm plantations to produce consumer goods.

The country’s industrialisation of palm oil production has flourished since the 1980s. By 2015, 6% of its land area was planted with palm trees.

A reduction in the local deforestation has been attributable to the Indonesian Government’s combination of drastic policy, strict punishment of violations, and increasing environmental protection activities.

Accordingly, about five years ago, the government issued strict directives banning deforestation, which put violating plantations on a "black list", track their activities by satellite, and prohibit cutting forest trees in nutrient-rich soils, among others./.
VNA