Helping rebuild devastated Aceh
The need to begin immediate reconstruction of homes and livelihoods in the tsunami-devastated Indonesian province of Aceh is urgent.
Despite millions of people donating money to help survivors of the tragedy, thousands of people in Aceh are still living in tents and makeshift accommodation.
While reconstruction must happen now, WWF believes the only way to avoid further hardship for the Achenese is to follow sustainable guidelines.
The result of this thinking is the Green Reconstruction Policy Guidelines launched in the Indonesian capital Jakarta on April 27, with the support of the acting governor of Aceh, other NGOs and the Indonesian Government.
The guidelines are aimed at helping people to build strong communities while protecting the province's rich wildlife against mass deforestation and inappropriate use of its resources.
What are the Green Reconstruction Policy Guidelines?
WWF's Green Reconstruction Policy Guidelines provide a policy framework for reconstructing Aceh in a way that minimises damage to the environment. The guidelines will help ensure that reconstruction results in long-term solutions and livelihoods rather than short-term fixes with future hidden costs, such as a depleted fishery resulting from rapid industrialisation of the fishing sector, landslides and floods from intensive deforestation and so on.
The first phase of the guidelines is the Timber for Aceh initiative (see below). This will be followed by implementation plans for other areas of sustainable reconstruction.
Who will they help?
WWF's Green Reconstruction Policy Guidelines will help government agencies, non-government organisations and other parties involved in planning and financing the reconstruction of Aceh. Implementation of the guidelines will help the people of Aceh to build communities and livelihoods that will remain strong well into the future, while bolstering the area's environmental resilience against future geological and weather events.
Why is green reconstruction so important?
If the reconstruction of Aceh does not take into account environmental factors, not only will the people of Aceh face future tragedy but the goodwill of the international community and individual donors will have been wasted on short-sighted "fixes" rather than on solutions that provide for long-term prosperity.
Natural defence barriers
Natural systems such as mangroves, forests and coral reefs provide protection against extreme geological and weather events (eg, tsunamis, heavy rains), thus mitigating the human toll and other implications of such events. For example:
- Coral reefs provide physical barriers that cause waves to break offshore thus reducing their destructive force
- Mangroves mitigate the intensity of tsunamis by soaking up destructive wave energy and acting as a buffer against erosion
- Marshes, tidal inlets and mangrove channels also limit the extent of inundation by floodwaters and allow for such waters to drain quickly
- Forests minimise the threat of landslides and flooding after heavy rain
Long-term economic health
The long-term economic health of communities is inextricably linked to environmental health. For example:
- Industrialising the fishing sector would result in over-fishing, which will result in depleted fisheries, which will in turn result in the loss of livelihoods for many Achenese who rely on fishing for a living.
- The continued over-harvesting of forests would result in landslides and floods, which not only result in further loss of life but in the loss of productive land for agriculture and for housing and towns.
Biodiversity
Green reconstruction is also extremely important for the protection of Aceh's rich biodiversity. The forests of Sumatra are home to some of the most iconic species on the planet, such as the Sumatran elephant, the Sumatran rhino, Sumatran tiger, orang utans and the Malayan sunbear. These species have already suffered the loss of much of their habitat. Further deforestation would place added pressure on their populations and bring their survival into question.
Who designed the guidelines?
WWF's Green Reconstruction Policy Guidelines were developed by WWF-Indonesia (with the assistance of WWF globally) after on-the-ground assessments, discussions with Indonesian Government ministries and agencies as well as authorities in Aceh, and after liaison with international and local non-governmental organisations.
What is the Timber for Aceh initiative?
The Timber for Aceh initiative is the first of a series of implementation plans expanding on WWF's Green Reconstruction Policy Guidelines. It is a call for the use of imported sustainably-sourced timber to reconstruct Aceh.
The Timber for Aceh project is designed to avoid further damage to Indonesia's already-stressed forests. Under the project, imported sustainably-logged timber will be used in many aspects of reconstruction, including the rebuilding of houses, schools, hospitals and the region's fishing fleet. WWF and Greenomics have published a detailed Timber for Aceh Implementation Design, which can be seen on the WWF-Australia website.
What is sustainably-sourced timber?
Sustainably-sourced timber is that which comes from native forests or plantations that have been grown and harvested in a responsible manner ensuring that environmental values (including habitat for species, biodiversity, and soil and water quality) are protected in the long term. To be sure that timber is sustainably sourced, timber should carry Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) or equivalent certification. If FSC (or equivalent) certified timber is not available, timber should only be sourced from known and uncontroversial sources. Timber from an unknown or controversial source should be avoided.
How much timber is needed?
A report by WWF and Indonesian policy research institution Greenomics estimates that just over one million cubic metres of logs (the equivalent of approximately 500,000 cubic metres of sawn timber) will be needed to rebuild Aceh over the next five years.
How urgent is the call for timber?
Thousands of people remain homeless in Aceh, living in tents and makeshift accommodation. These people cannot be expected to live in such conditions for much longer so we must to work very fast to begin reconstruction. At the same time, Aceh cannot afford the problems associated with mass deforestation. We are optimistic that those responsible for Aceh's reconstruction will respond in an appropriate manner to this urgency.
What do the authorities in Jakarta and Aceh think about Green Reconstruction?
There is widespread support in Indonesia for the Timber for Aceh initiative. Supporters include:
- Aceh's Acting Governor Azwar Abubakar
- Indonesian Environment Minister Rachmand Witoelar
- Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Peoples Welfare Alwi Shihab
- The Indonesian Forestry Department
The concept of Green Reconstruction is supported by the Indonesian Government's Masterplan for Reconstruction of Aceh. The Main Book of the plan calls for sustainable, environmentally sound reconstruction, and the Natural Resources and Environment Book calls for sustainably-sourced construction materials and notes that WWF and Greenomics have an initiative to deal with this.
Indonesia is a major exporter of timber. Why doesn't Indonesia cancel timber export contracts and re-direct these flows to Aceh?
Current timber exports from Indonesia include a significant proportion of illegal timber. Indeed, the international market is estimated to have taken approximately 33 million cubic meters of illegally harvested round wood from Indonesia in the last few years. The Indonesian Government is fighting illegal logging - and is having great difficulty in stopping these illegal activities. Redirecting confiscated illegal timber to the reconstruction of Aceh is being done but it cannot be factored into the systematic planning for Aceh's reconstruction, as explained in the Greenomics-Indonesia/WWF report. Further, a significant proportion of Indonesia's timber export is plywood, while the main need in Aceh is for sawn timber.
Is it really impossible to source this wood from legal sources in Indonesia?
Indonesia is able to sustainably produce approximately 17 million cubic meters of timber annually. However, its wood processing industry has a combined installed capacity of approximately 74 million cubic meters. Although the industry does not run at full capacity, it still consumes approximately 53 million cubic meters of round wood per year, 70% of which is suspected to come from illegal sources. Fulfilling the additional demand driven by reconstruction needs in Aceh and North Sumatra from inside the country could drive the demand for illegal timber even higher - and effectively jeopardize the Government's efforts to ban illegal logging in the country.
Can donor countries meet WWF's proposal effectively? Will the logistics of such an operation be manageable?
Our calculations indicate that the amount of imported timber needed for Aceh's reconstruction will reach approximately 200,000 cubic metres annually. This amount could realistically be met jointly by a number of donor countries such as Canada, USA, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and the EU.
Even though there is no precedent for the magnitude of the logistics required to respond to the tsunami, the international community has been able and willing to meet urgent calls for assistance. We are optimistic that this will continue.
Which countries have donated timber to Aceh?
At this stage, timber industries in various countries (including Australia, the USA and Canada) have expressed support for the Timber for Aceh initiative. Timber has been donated by the timber industry in the USA. But as yet, no government has donated any timber or contributed to the urgent requirement for timber to assist Aceh's people rebuild one of life's basic essentials - shelter.
How long will it take to reconstruct Aceh?
Current Indonesian Government estimates are that complete reconstruction will take at least five years. Obviously, the people of Aceh cannot wait five years for shelter and the need for action on rebuilding people's homes is urgent. The Timber for Aceh initiative is an integral part of the required action.
What other areas of the green reconstruction project will be targeted in the future?
WWF is developing Green Implementation Guidelines to assist organisations and agencies involved in reconstruction and livelihood restoration carry out their tasks with sound environmental results for long-term solutions. The Implementation Guidelines are an expansion of the Green Reconstruction Policy Guidelines. These will be at a level of detail similar to the Timber for Aceh Implementation Plan. The next three Green Implementation Guidelines will cover:
- aquaculture
- sustainable fisheries
- spatial planning
Each of these is vital for durable prosperity in Aceh. As a coastal community, the people affected directly by the tsunami relied heavily on the marine environment for their livelihoods. These Green Implementation Guidelines will help ensure that those livelihoods are viable in generations to come, not just in the immediate aftermath of a natural disaster.
How you can help
- Support WWF and help stop the degradation of the planet's natural environment through initiatives like the Green Reconstruction Policy Guidelines and Timber for Aceh.
