Also by jamie

Chewing over the Congo with the World Bank

Posted by jamie - 19 April 2007 at 1:43pm - Comments
Okapi are unique to the Congo rainforest

Our report on the con in the Congo really did catch the attention of the World Bank. They were referenced many, many times in its pages and have taken a keen interest in what we have to say about their role in the destruction of the African rainforest at the hands of the international logging companies.

Such is their interest that a special event was held at the spring meeting in Washington DC last weekend - even though it was in the offing before we released the report, it wasn't on the official agenda and was held as a direct result of the work done by ourselves and other organisations, both globally and in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) over the last few weeks.

Meeting with Mr Benn

Posted by jamie - 12 April 2007 at 6:04pm - Comments

Following on from the release yesterday of our major new report about the con in the Congo, our campaigners met with Hilary Benn to ask what he intends to do about it. As the UK governor of the World Bank, he is extremely well-placed to make a big noise about it at the bank's spring meeting this weekend.

Like our Congo animation? Share it!

Posted by jamie - 12 April 2007 at 1:33pm - Comments

If you like the animation we produced (with the glorious help of Will Flash For Cash), then you can easily send it to a friend - just click the envelope icon by the title of this blog entry.

You can also use it on your own blog or website. In fact, that's the idea - we want as many people as possible to find out what's happening in the Democratic Republic of Congo and take action to stop it.

What a carve up! The con in the Congo logging industry

Posted by jamie - 11 April 2007 at 9:00am - Comments

A logging road torn through the Congo rainforest

As we revealed last week, we've been doing a lot of work recently in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), researching the threats that currently face the vast rainforest that stretch across the Congo basin.

It's a forest we can ill-afford to lose: 40 million people depend on the forest in one way or another. It is also critical for the survival of our closest animal relatives, including gorillas, chimpanzees and bonobos, and like all large intact forests, it's crucially important for regulating the local and global climate.

Time is ticking for the African rainforests

Posted by jamie - 5 April 2007 at 10:28am - Comments

Children of the Congo rainforest

In recent years, we've put a lot of effort into highlighting the threats facing what remains of the world's forests in North America, South America, and South East Asia. But there's one major area we haven't touched on for some time now: Africa. That's all about to change, however, and you'll be hearing more about what we've been up to in the coming weeks and months.

Let it out for forest destruction

Posted by jamie - 27 March 2007 at 5:57pm - Comments

It's an absolute gift when companies who are being less than kind to the environment have an advertising campaign that, with a few tweaks, can be subverted to expose their dodgy deeds. Such a treat came in the form of the Kleenex 'Let It Out' adverts that have been showing in various countries (here's an example for those who haven't seen it) and the guys in the US and Canada running the Kleercut campaign jumped on it.

Controversial soya port closed in the Amazon

Posted by jamie - 26 March 2007 at 8:00am - Comments

Cargill's port facility in Santarem is closed by government officials

In the heart of the Amazon rainforest a huge soya processing factory and port owned by the giant US company Cargill has just been closed down by the Brazilian Environmental Agency (IBAMA).

Flying in the face of reason?

Posted by jamie - 21 March 2007 at 6:39pm - Comments

Aeroplane vapour trails forming a rude hand gestureClimate change - you can't open a paper or watch the news without banging your head against it, right? So obviously the message is getting through - our major companies are tripping over themselves in the rush to proclaim their green credentials and how keen they are to take 'corporate responsibility' for their business. Well - up to a point.

Indonesia gets new world record: fastest forest logger

Posted by jamie - 16 March 2007 at 10:54am - Comments

Protesters sawing through a huge wooden wall depicting Indonesia's rainforestsThis morning, the streets of Jakarta were buzzing with the sound of chainsaws. It wasn't a loggers' convention causing all the racket but protesters sawing through a huge wooden wall depicting Indonesia's rainforests.

Russian forestry agency launches investigation into illegal logging

Posted by jamie - 13 March 2007 at 7:04pm - Comments

Activists being removed from their blockade of the Stora Enso headquarters in Helsinki Amidst all the current hoo-hah about Trident, we have some good news from Russia or, at least, the potential for good news.

Back in September, our Partners in Crime report revealed how Finland is importing vast quantities of timber logged illegally in neighbouring Russia. According to federal law, all forestry management plans must undergo an Environmental Impact Assessment - in the republic of Karelia these assessments are not being done yet the local government continues to hand out logging permits.

However, this week the Head of the Federal Forestry Agency in Russia has ordered an immediate investigation into the problem, appointing a commission to report back next month. This is a huge step forward and acknowledges the scale of the problem - of all the timber felled in Karelia, the majority is illegal.

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