Rudi Putra: “What use is it to be rich if we can’t enjoy nature?”

Rudi Putra: “What use is it to be rich if we can’t enjoy nature?”

Deforestation in Indonesia. To begin with, it would be useful if you could give us some figures on deforestation in your country. What effects has the government’s moratorium of 2011 had on deforestation, and what effects is it currently having? The moratorium hasn’t had significant effects since it was introduced in 2011. The deforestation rate

Cutting down rainforests is 100 times more expensive than protecting them

Cutting down rainforests is 100 times more expensive than protecting them

Between 2009 and 2012 Brazil and Indonesia were given 346 million dollars by the U.N. – mostly from Norway and Germany – to preserve rainforests. But this good piece of news is completely omitted in the report written by the Overseas Development Institute (ODI), according to which in the same period those countries have spent

Forests absorb more CO2 but emissions rise faster

Forests absorb more CO2 but emissions rise faster

In order to curb CO2 emissions and global warming, the vegetation on the Earth is doing its best. Over the last decade, trees and plants all over the world have stored 4 billion tonnes more of greenhouse gases, thanks to reforestation projects in China, to an increase of forests in some countries of the former

Local communities want development, not forced eviction

Local communities want development, not forced eviction

Infrastructural developments carried out by governments, often with the participation of international organisations such as the World Bank, cause the forced eviction of countless communities in developing countries. These projects are evaluated in terms of their most immediate ends, without taking into consideration their long terms effects. Amongst which, too often, is the at times

Europe’s complicity in illegal deforestation

Europe’s complicity in illegal deforestation

The European countries foster illegal deforestation around the world, despite they are among those who violate international laws and conventions the less. In order to meet the demand of agricultural products in Europe, between 2000 and 2012, the equivalent of a soccer field was illegally deforested every 2 minutes, violating national laws of those countries

The best cities to live in. Vienna still ranks first in 2015

The best cities to live in. Vienna still ranks first in 2015

In 2015, Vienna still tops the list of best cities in the world to live in. For several years Mercer, a multinational consultancy society for companies’ development, has drafted  the ranking of the cities with best quality of living for people living abroad, according to 39 parameters divided in 10 categories. This year, more than 440

10 things you may not know about tapirs

10 things you may not know about tapirs

Tapir is a funny animal, similar to a crossbreed between a wild boar and an ant eater, with the squat body of the former and the long nose of the latter. In Brazil, idiots are named “tapirs”. Yet, these large herbivores are extraordinary animals with a highly biological importance. Here are 10 facts that will make