New study ignites debate over Indonesia’s mud volcano
Scientists on Sunday sparked a fresh debate over what triggered Indonesia's Lusi mud volcano, still spewing truckloads of slime more than seven years after it leapt catastrophically into life.
Environmental news and related issues
Indonesia
Slash-and-burn a way of life on Indonesia’s Sumatra
The ground was still hot and smoke hung in the air when Saparina set out to plant her spinach in the ashen remains of rainforest on Indonesia's Sumatra island, where raging fires triggered Southeast Asia's worst smog crisis in years.
Sumatran orangutan beaten to death
Indonesian villagers have beaten a Sumatran orangutan to death, an animal protection group said on Tuesday, the latest case of one of the critically-endangered primates being killed by humans.
Singapore demands urgent Indonesia action on smog
Singapore on Thursday demanded "definitive" action by Indonesia on forest fires raging in Sumatra as the two neighbours prepared for emergency talks to ease the severe smog enveloping the city-state.
Indonesia extends logging ban to protect rainforest
Indonesia has extended a logging ban to protect rainforests despite fierce industry pressure, the government said Wednesday, but green groups slammed it as inadequate to safeguard threatened habitats.
Endangered Sumatran elephant born in captivity
A baby Sumatran elephant peeps out timidly from between the legs of its mother at an Indonesian zoo, where her birth has given a boost to the critically endangered animal.
Everyday heroes: 2013 Goldman Environmental Prize winners
The Goldman Prize awards environmental activists.
The topeng monyet
It is estimated that 3000 macaques are captured every year from the wild in Indonesia. Most babies captured are used for research by international pharmaceutical groups or universities. The others are sold on the local market to become pets in
Tainted tin: the deadly cost of smartphones
Tainted tin: the deadly cost of smartphones The Ecologist Film Unit investigates claims that mining for tin for use in the manufacture of smartphones is linked to a number of environmental problems on the Indonesian island of Bangka. Campaign group
Fears over Indonesia’s thirst for palm oil
The roar of chainsaws has replaced birdsong, the once-lush, green jungle scorched to a barren grey. The equivalent of six football pitches of forest is lost every minute in Indonesia.
Smoking Indonesian orangutan gives birth
An orangutan famous for puffing on cigarettes gave birth this week at an Indonesian zoo, an official said on Friday, in a rare event giving a boon to the critically endangered species.
Deaths from landslides up to 10 times worse than thought
The death toll from landslides is 10 times higher than generally estimated, with most fatalities occurring in South Asia, China and Latin America, according to a British study published on Thursday.
Asia ‘megacities’ face disaster timebomb
Asian nations must act quickly to protect their cities from flooding and other natural disasters as rapid urbanisation raises environmental risks, the Asian Development Bank said Wednesday.
French crusader for gibbons in Borneo jungle
For 15 years Aurelien Brule has lived in the Indonesian jungle, crusading against palm oil multinationals, loggers and corruption in his bid to save endangered gibbons from annihilation.
Model airplane used to monitor rainforests – conservation drones take flight
Conservationists have converted a remote-controlled plane into a potent tool for conservation.
Rebel hero who has ‘betrayed’ the last of Aceh’s orang-utans
When the former rebel leader Irwandi Yusuf became governor of Indonesia's Aceh province, he proclaimed a "green vision" for the war-torn region.
Indonesian plantation workers arrested over orangutan deaths
Police official says suspects admitted chasing primates with dogs before shooting, stabbing or hacking them to death
Javan rhino ‘now extinct in Vietnam’
A critically endangered species of rhino is now extinct in Vietnam, according to a report by conservation groups.
Battle over huge coal deposit highlights risks in Indonesia
Indonesia contains some of the world's richest mineral deposits, located tantalizingly close to the markets of China and India, but a court battle over a $1.8 billion coal mine highlights the risks foreign miners face in the country.