Can Green Development Be Fair Development?

Mar 8, 2020 | Helen Schneider
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Aceh is Indonesia’s westernmost province, situated on the northern tip of the island of Sumatra where the Andaman Sea, Malacca Straits and Indian Ocean converge. Its waters boast a rich diversity of species including 13 Pacific and four Indian Ocean hard corals, marine turtles and dugongs, sharks and rays. In the terrestrial realm, Aceh’s forest complexes are home to globally important populations of Sumatran tiger, as well as Asian elephant and Sumatran rhinoceros. The diversity of bird species includes the magnificent rhinoceros hornbill. These landscapes and seascapes – and the species they harbour – are, however, under threat from over-exploitation of natural resources, alongside destructive and unsustainable practices including the clearing of forests and peatlands for oil palm and other plantations, mining and infrastructure.