Peru says to crack down on palm oil-related Amazon deforestation
Peru says to crack down on palm oil-related Amazon deforestation
Source: Reuters - Mon, 28 Sep 2015 01:07 GMT
By Hugh Bronstein
UNITED NATIONS, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Peru will confront the deforestation of its Amazon region by issuing a decree next month putting palm oil plantations under federal rather than local authority, Environment Minister Manuel Pulgar-Vidal said on Sunday.
With big areas of Peru already stripped of natural vegetation, largely due to farming, Pulgar-Vidal said it was important to strengthen regulations on palm oil. He expects the decree within two weeks. "It's ready to go," he said.
Demand for palm oil, a cash crop widely used in food and cosmetics, has fueled deforestation in Indonesia and Malaysia. Palm oil plantations are relatively new to Peru and other South American countries.
"Part of the problem is that land use procedures are too easy in some cases, and managed by regional governments that are not strong enough to deal with the problem," Pulgar-Vidal said on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
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http://www.trust.org/item/20150928010903-vpejv/