Fw: RAINFOREST/CLIMATE ALERT: Papua New Guinea's Woodlark Island Rainforests to Be Cleared for Oil Palm Agrofuels

[Guest guest]

ACTION ALERT PLEASE FORWARD WIDELY!

 

Papua New Guinea's Woodlark Island Rainforests to Be Cleared

for Oil Palm Agrofuels

 

Rainforest Portal a project of Ecological Internet

http://www.rainforestportal.org/

December 27, 2007

 

TAKE ACTION

The PNG government continues to approve rainforest destruction

and diminishment even as they vocally seek to be paid with

carbon market funds for their " protection "

 

http://www.rainforestportal.org/alerts/send.asp?id=png_woodlark

 

The oil palm biofuel industry -- the scourge of Asia and the

world's rainforests -- is continuing to expand into Papua New

Guinea (PNG). Malaysian company Vitroplant has been granted

necessary permits by the PNG government to begin clearing 70%

of the rainforests on biodiversity rich Woodlark Island, some

60,000 hectares, in order to establish a massive plantation of

oil palm trees. Expansion of oil palm plantations at the

expense of primary rainforests runs contrary to PNG's

government public support for preserving rainforests for

climate and other benefits. An oil palm plantation on Woodlark

Island will endanger the island's flora and fauna, cause

environmental upheaval, and result in drastic cultural change.

The islanders of Woodlark have worked hard to draw

international attention to this issue, and have issued an

appeal for the support of international NGOs and citizens to

pressure the government to withdraw the project.

 

TAKE ACTION NOW:

http://www.rainforestportal.org/alerts/send.asp?id=png_woodlark

 

DISCUSS ALERT:

http://www.rainforestportal.org/issues/2007/12/alert_papua_new_guineas_woodl

a.asp