New footage catches APRIL destroying the rainforest in Borneo

Greenpeace released a new set of photos documenting Indonesian rainforest destruction by the paper giant Asia Pacific Resources International Limited (APRIL). The video was shot in Kalimantan, the Indonesian part of Borneo. It shows APRIL's bulldozers systematically destroying ancient rainforest.


APRIL is the second largest pulp and paper company in Indonesia. APRIL claims to plant 150 million trees every year, but these are mostly in industrial pulp plantations established after clearing rainforests. This process involves the complete destruction of the natural ecosystem and replacement by a monoculture, causing biodiversity loss, emissions of greenhouse gases from high-carbon peatland soils and in many cases conflicts with local communities. In 2015 APRIL suppliers are still clearing natural forests, and APRIL’s forest policy allows the company to keep using natural forest fibre until 2020.
According to Mongabay, Banking giant Santander, criticized by Greenpeace for having loaned APRIL millions of euro, announced today that it will not extend further financing to this company. "Based on further internal analysis, Banco Santander has decided to not renew the current funding to APRIL and will not be extending further funding at this stage. Any future loans will be conditional on APRIL implementing new sustainability measures which address its involvement with deforestation."