Introduction

Deforestation in Indonesia is a global dilemma, with a long and complex history. The numerous attempts to stop deforestation have failed to have any lasting effect. Fires, land conversion, and logging have continued, and, particularly since 2000, tropical deforestation in Indonesia has increased. This book explains why conservation interventions have been unsuccessful, why that matters, and why conservation efforts will continue to fail without a major change in the assumptions and goals of rich countries. Rich countries must stop off-shoring their ecological responsibilities to poor countries like Indonesia; the developed world must stop its economic and ecological hypocrisy, if deforestation and climate change are to be stopped.