ALERT: China Olympics 2008: Destroying Papua's Ancient Rainforests to Raise the Olympic Torch
TAKE ACTION: Protest China's Plundering of Indonesian Rainforests to Build 2008 Olympic Facilities
With two-and-a-half years to go until the start of the 2008 Olympics to be held in Beijing China, the Chinese government has recently placed a $1 billion rush order for endangered rainforest timbers from Indonesia's Papua province to be used in construction for the games. A proposed timber processing factory would industrially harvest 800,000 cubic meters of the famous and threatened merbau (intsia spp) rainforest timbers, to be exported to China for the construction of sports facilities.
Indonesia's Papua province on the island of New Guinea has some of the world's last remaining large intact rainforests. These rainforests are millions of years old, contain untold biodiversity and evolutionary history, and provide critical regional and global ecosystem processes. An investment of this size will only serve to legitimize and further fuel illegal, highly unsustainable, and ecologically devastating logging, ensuring the destruction of this critically threatened ancient rainforest.
It is against the Olympic ideals of bringing "people together in peace to respect universal moral principles" when the events are housed in ancient rainforest timbers of questionable legality and morality. Please insist the Chinese government commit to hosting an "old-growth and ancient rainforest free" Olympics. Please take action now.
Comments
This one has really got me fuming. I'm indifferent to the Olympics at the best of times, but if they destroy a huge amount of ancient rainforest, I'm on the warpath.
Posted by: Alex Lee | April 30, 2006 6:34 AM
I hope that other countries assisting to this games made a word over this issue, it really pisses me off if they don't!
Posted by: Victor Hugo | May 1, 2006 3:04 PM
Dear Glen,
I just got this from the Sports Confederation of
Denmark, as an answer to the "Chinese Olympic
logging"- email campaign. As I speak and read danish I
understand that he doesnt think its a good idea to put
pressure/halt their email systems like this on the
olympic commitees, which he says has nohing to do with
the Chinese desicions on this matter. Also that it
creates hostility against our cause instead of
sympathy.
Hmmm, I dont know what is better. How create
sympathy/pressure on these guys without provoking?!
Just think you wanted to know...
best,
claus
Posted by: Claus | May 15, 2006 8:29 AM
Dear Sir/Madam:
It has come to our attention that your internet site is still hosting a story with the false allegation that virgin timber from Indonesia is being used in the construction of venues for the 2008 Olympic Games. We ask that you please remove it as the story has been proven to be false.
We shared your concern about these allegations, so we asked the relevant authorities constructing the venues to review their procurement of wood products. What they found makes these allegations very hard to be true: none of the construction companies building the venues are even sourcing any wood from Indonesia. Our press statement and a Reuters story reporting these facts is attached.
As such, we would ask that you replace the story containing the false allegations with our statement that conveys the facts on this issue.
The use of sustainable materials is an important facet of our pledge to host green Games, so we have required their use ¨C and have specifically prohibited the use of virgin timber - from the outset of construction.
We take this and all other aspects of hosting a green edition of the Olympic Games seriously, and invite you to review our environmental policies and activities in the environmental section of our web site, located at: http://en.beijing2008.com/80/67/column211716780.shtml.
Thank you for your concern and in advance for your cooperation.
Sincerely yours,
Environmental Activity Department BOCOG
Posted by: Chinese Olympic Committee | June 11, 2006 6:32 AM
Keep up the great work on your blog. Best wishes WaltDe
Posted by: WaltDe | August 31, 2006 7:18 PM