News and success stories
Stay in the loop with news of ongoing campaigns and successes in the fight against rainforest destruction.
Post-rockers raise awareness of rainforest destruction
The instrumental / post-rock duo Collapse Under The Empire has issued a charity single, Lost, in support of our work. The band will be donating the entire proceeds of the digital download to Rainforest Rescue.
Current petitions
Fundación Pachamama Requests SOLIDARITY
QUITO - On Wednesday, December 4th, 2013, plain-clothes police officers appeared at the offices of Fundación Pachamama and proceeded to shut down the facilities, leaving a resolution from the Ministry of Environment ordering the dissolution the organization.
The tragedy of Tanjung Puting National Park
In Borneo’s Tanjung Puting National Park, ancient trees are being felled for oil palm plantations. Meanwhile, palm oil companies are patting themselves on the back for their “sustainable” farming practices at their annual meeting on Sumatra. And the EU is ignoring the devastating consequences of its agrofuels policy for the rainforests. A report from Indonesia.
The world steps up to protect koalas
We asked for your help in protecting koalas in a call to action on our website. The response was loud and clear: more than 83,000 people from all over the world signed our petition to save the Australian marsupials.
Recent news on agroenergy
This is a link list with recent reports about agroenergy
Communities and biodiversity under threat from Europe's bioenergy boom
Biofuelwatch's new report looks at the current impacts of the UK's demand for biomass industry on forests and communities worldwide. Although the focus is on UK demand, it is relevant for large- scale biomass electricity anywhere.
Coal India is deluding investors
The biggest coal miner in the world, Coal India Ltd., has rigged the market with false information to increase its value. According to a study published by Greenpeace, investors needed to spend more money per share than fair market value suggested.
Strasbourg: 243,998 signatures against agrofuels handed over
Rainforest Rescue and other environmental and human rights organizations have collected 243,998 signatures of people who call for a change in the fatal agrofuels policy of the European Union.
Ecuador oil auction stopped
Local protests and international forms of pressure help indigenous peoples. It seems that not enough oil companies submitted bids on 3 million hectar of Ecuador's last remaining area of virgin rainforest. The deadline was extended yet again by the Ecuadorian government.
Panama: UN expert calls for recognition of indigenous peoples’ rights
The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, James Anaya, concluded his official visit to Panama today. In his final statement, Mr. Anaya stated that indigenous peoples of the country are calling for greater recognition and protection of their territories and natural resources.
Forests ablaze in Sumatra – and the EU pours oil on the fire
Rainforests are burning on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. The arsonists: palm oil companies that need land for their plantations. And while humans, animals and plants are helpless in the face of the fires, the EU industry committee just voted to increase the biofuel share in motor vehicle fuels.
Palm oil lobby woos legislators
In early May, five EU parliamentarians went on a luxury trip to Malaysia and Singapore at the invitation of Neste Oil. The palm oil company’s generosity was not without ulterior motives, as the EU is currently reviewing its agrofuels policy.
Cameroon: Government is stopping deforestation
The U.S. company Herakles Farms wants to destroy 70,000 hectares of rainforest for its huge palm oil project. Illegal clearings have already started. The authorities have now stopped the company's activities and seized the logging machinery in the rainforest.
Congo: First success for endangered mountain gorillas
There is new hope for the Virunga National Park in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo. In this world heritage, the government has opened five areas for oil exploration. Due to worldwide protests of environmentalists, the oil company TOTAL pulled out of the exploration project.
Verdict in Indonesia: Government must return ancestral lands
The indigenous peoples of Indonesia and its advocacy group, AMAN, have scored a great success: the Constitutional Court ruled that the government must recognize the land rights of forest dwellers. It may no longer class their customary forests as “state forest areas” and lease them to loggers or plantation operators.
Borneo, Indonesia: Earth Day Campaigns to raise public awareness
Our partners at Save Our Borneo never miss an opportunity to bring the state of the rainforests in their homeland to their fellow humans’ attention. This time, they chose International Earth Day for their activities.
Malaysia: Video documents corruption of Chief Minister
One of the most notorious enemies of the rainforest has been exposed: The British environmental organization Global Witness recorded a video of members of Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib’s extended family illegally selling off vast tracts of rainforest in the Malaysian part of Borneo.
Over 100,000 signatures for elephant conservation in Malaysia
Earlier this year, the image of a tiny elephant calf trying in vain to awaken his dead mother with his trunk moved people around the world. The poisoning of 14 endangered Borneo pygmy elephants in the Malaysian state of Sabah met with incomprehension and indignation.
Indonesia: Incense farmers have been released
Because they were defending themselves against the logging of their rainforest on the island of Sumatra, 31 protesters have been arrested. Due to protests from all around the world – including a petition from German Rainforest Rescue with 28,000 participants – the 16 remaining incense farmers have now been released.
Panama: Time is running out for Tabasará communities
On 8th March, during a 3-hour blockade which prevented vehicles from leaving or entering the Barro Blanco hydroelectric dam construction site in western Panama, an 80-strong group of Ngabe protesters were dispersed by riot squads who pelted the area with tear gas.
Brazil: Guaraní land rights established
On January 10, 2013, the national authority for the protection of indigenous peoples in Brazil (FUNAI) confirmed the rights of two Guaraní-Kaiowá communities to 41,571 hectares of land. FUNAI thus responded to protests by the Guaraní, who for decades have been pitted against major landholders who have been colonizing the indigenous territory.
Indonesia: slow lorises are not merchandise
On Friday, January 18, 2013, Rainforest Rescue presented a petition with 48,838 signatures protesting the illegal trade in slow lorises to the Indonesian Embassy in Berlin.
Colombia: Stop the chainsaws
On January 17, 2013, Rainforest Rescue had an appointment at the Colombian Embassy in Berlin. We presented senior embassy staff a petition with 72,877 signatures protesting the impending illegal clearance of 4,000 rainforest trees in Colombia’s Atrato region.
Switzerland: petition presented to UBS
On January 17, 2013, we presented our petition with 48,462 signatures to the Swiss UBS bank, calling on them to freeze the accounts of Musa Aman and refrain from business involving money from the illegal trade in tropical timber
Success as Hawaii's largest energy company halts palm oil use in power stations
Back in October 2010, Rainforest Rescue and Biofuelwatch joined local campaigners in Hawaii in opposing plans for large-scale palm oil burning in power stations by the islands' largest energy company, HECO. Ever since then, HECO has not burnt any more palm oil.
Virunga NP: Interview with park management
380 rare mountain gorillas live in Virunga National Park in large family groups. Now Britain’s SOCO International plc intends to drill for oil in the park. This would spell the end of the park and the gorillas. Rainforest Rescue interviewed Ephrem Balole of the Virunga park managment.
Happy New Year
Thank you for your wonderful support in 2012 and Happy New Year from Rainforest Rescue! We wish you a wonderful 2013.You can still send Happy New Year E-cards to your family and friends: