Deforestation and the Palm Oil Industry

Our president’s success on deforestation has been a country-wide effort.

The government — particularly President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo — has recently won significant praise from international observers for its success in reducing Indonesia’s deforestation rates.

The reduction — to what are now the lowest rates on record — deserves to be applauded by governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and other groups worldwide. Unilever’s Paul Polman, the Economist, and even the World Economic Forum have heaped praise on the country’s deforestation efforts.

However, we are yet to see governments congratulate Jokowi — or Indonesia more broadly — for reversing a trend that had been demanded by so many in Western capitals. Surely, by now, they should have…