As Asia’s first-ever Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) to combat illegal logging was signed into law, the London-based Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) cautioned that it would also serve as a test of official resolve to stamp out serious corruption in Indonesia’s forest sector
The risky undercover work of the EIA is showcased in three new films to be broadcast in the UK on Nat Geo Wild. A year in the making, the films follow EIA through countries as diverse as Iceland, Japan, Vietnam, Laos, China and Kenya to chronicle new investigations into whaling, illegal logging and the ivory trade
Japan's call for help in its reconstruction is a timely opportunity for Indonesia to put its new timber regulations to work, ensuring only legal timber and products are exported
As Asia’s first-ever Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) was today (09.00 GMT, May 4) formally agreed in Jakarta by senior representatives of the European Union and Government of Indonesia, it was warned the historic timber trade agreement would only succeed alongside rigorous efforts to stamp out corruption
Following four years of negotiations, the EU and Indonesia have this week finalised an historic new timber trade agreement to stem the flow of illegal timber to European markets. The Voluntary Partnership Agreement (VPA) is the first ever in Asia and will govern a trade estimated to be worth about $1 billion a year
The European Parliament voted overwhelmingly for legislation to ban illegally logged timber and wood products from all EU territories. London-based campaigning group the EIA has been at the forefront of efforts to curb illegal logging and timber smuggling for more than a decade and enthusiastically welcomed the new law