World Economic Forum 2017: Highlights from Davos
Each year in January, the normally sedate Davos, population 11,000, sees an influx of visitors when the World Economic Forum (WEF) holds its flagship Annual Meeting in the alpine resort...
As world leaders convened at the 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) in Paris, APRIL Group announced Dec 1, 2015 it will step up conservation and restoration efforts in Riau via the Restorasi Ekosistem Riau (RER) programme.
Held in parallel with the Paris Climate Conference, the fifth edition of the Indonesia Pavilion saw representatives from government, private sector and NGOs, engaging in forums, panel discussions, exhibitions and announcements that all centre around the Pavilion’s theme “Solutions to Climate Change”.
USD 100m investment on restoration and conservation
All smiles at the announcement of APRIL Group’s commitment to restoration and conservation in the RER programme. More importantly, all hands on deck for the largest investment by a private company for a single Indonesia conservation project.
RGE director Anderson Tanoto announced the company will be investing USD 100 million over the next 10 years in the restoration, conservation and protection of peatland in Riau – the largest investment by a private company in Indonesia for a single eco-restoration project.
.@AndTanoto: We hope our announcement will be one of many from the private sector as it plays its part in #COP21 pic.twitter.com/FJwSH7zxco
— APRILpulpandpaper (@APRILpulp) December 1, 2015
APRIL Group will also double its peatland restoration commitment to cover 150,000ha under the RER programme, which includes partners NGOs Fauna and Flora International (FFI) and Indonesia-based Bidara.
Dr Gunarso: RER began with 20,000 hectares in 2013 and by June this year had grown to 70,000 hectares, now expanded to 150,000 ha #COP21
— APRILpulpandpaper (@APRILpulp) December 1, 2015
Riau Ecosystem Restoration is inline with #Indonesia’s commitment on climate change. #COP21 https://t.co/w872diy3yj pic.twitter.com/1cuE2j7p6g
— APRILpulpandpaper (@APRILpulp) December 1, 2015
Sharing the Fire-Free Village Programme
Managing Director Tony Wenas delivers a presentation on the Fire-Free Village Programme and the positive impact it has had on prevention and management of fire in participating villages in Riau.
The next day, APRIL Group’s Indonesia Operations Managing Director Tony Wenas shared with participants at the Indonesia Pavilion the Fire-Free Village Programme, a comprehensive community-focused fire prevention initiative that involves collaboration between company, community and the local state authority.
The Fire-Free Village Programme has seen early success, with some participating villages having few to no fires. APRIL Group aims to double the number of participating villages to 18 next year.
Fire Free Village Program: prevent fires through close community collaboration #cop21 https://t.co/H9am9XUgBF pic.twitter.com/uFGHiLZ8bW
— APRILpulpandpaper (@APRILpulp) December 2, 2015
Wenas: While in its infancy, we believe the early success demonstrates the promise of prevention-based initiatives as a real solution #COP21
— APRILpulpandpaper (@APRILpulp) December 2, 2015
Tomjon, Kuala Panduk village chief: With mechanical equipments assistance fr APRIL, villagers don’t have to use fire pic.twitter.com/CIbHyyH6Qb
— APRILpulpandpaper (@APRILpulp) December 2, 2015
Tony Wenas expects the Fire Free Village Program to become a national model https://t.co/LNuStFfNDm #COP21 #ClimateAction
— APRILpulpandpaper (@APRILpulp) December 3, 2015
Kuala Panduk village chief Tomjon (left) shared that the Fire-Free Village Programme involved APRIL Group providing equipment for land clearance, which eliminates the need for the use of fire.
COP21 – Behind the scenes
So all that fuss on media and here it is @COP21 let’s hope there are real commitments to ACTION in the coming week pic.twitter.com/oSXG6YYwKG
— Anderson Tanoto (@AndTanoto) November 27, 2015
APRIL Group having a lunch discussion prior to RER announcement
APRIL Group Managing Director Tony Wenas does an interview with MetroTV on the sidelines of the COP21 Indonesia Pavilion sessions.
APRIL Group Conservation Director Dr Petrus Gunarso presents the RER Programme at the Indonesia Pavilion in COP21
APRIL Group Indonesia Operations Managing Director Tony Wenas, APRIL Group External Affairs Director Lucita Jasmin, RGE Director Anderson Tanoto, and Asian Agri Managing Director Kelvin Tio posing for a photo in the cool Paris evening.
Mr Anderson Tanoto with the President’s Special Envoy on Climate Change Rachmat Witoelar and Head of Commission II, Regional Representatives Council (DPD) Parlindungan Purba, prior to APRIL’s RER announcement.
President Jokowi and Tony Wenas having a chat. Our apologies, the photo quality may be blurry, but APRIL’s commitments remain clear and impactful, complementing Indonesia’s efforts in rural development and sustainability.
The announcements made at COP21 continue to show how entrenched the business principles of doing what is good for community, country and company are in APRIL Group. These remain strong in all of the business groups founded by RGE Chairman Sukanto Tanoto.
