Hotspots in a Hotspot: The Indonesian Peat Fire Crisis
M. E. Harrison, S. H. Limin, K. Yoyo, Hendri, Salahudin, M.
Idrus, B. Ripoll Capilla, S. J. Husson, and J. O. Rieley
Active Fires: 29 Sept-6 Oct 2014
Indonesia: huge peat areas, high value
• Indonesia peatland area: 206,950 km2
• Indonesia peat carbon: 57.4 Gt
• Sabangau-Kahayan swamps:– Total area ca. 9,000 km2
– High biodiversity and ecosystem service value
– Min. 68 mammal, 167 bird and 218 tree species
– Largest orangutan and southern Bornean gibbon populations
Why? Peat Drainage!
Peat Drainage + People + Drought = Fire!
Devastating Impacts
• Wildlife habitat loss – millions of hectares affected
• Economy: $20.1 billion lost (1997-98)
• Human health: respiratory problems, premature deaths
• Carbon emissions:
– 0.81-2.57 Gt carbon (1997-98)
– Equivalent to 13-40% mean annual global emissions from fossil fuels!!
– Average 1,700 Mt CO2e yr-1
– England’s peat store ~ 300 Mt C
Solution – Immediate
Solution – Long term
• Canal damming
• Forest patrols – preventing logging
• Incentivising conservation –sustainable livelihoods
• Community socialisaton and education
• Local capacity building
• Monitoring research
• See poster #28!!
Please Help!
www.outrop.com | facebook.com/outrop | @outrop
• Visit our website and social media
• Watch video – “In the line of fire”
• Spread the word
• Donate to our emergency fire-fighting appeal