We need you to take action now to protect one of the most important rainforests on Earth.

This week, the threats that Conflict Palm Oil poses to the Leuser Ecosystem were exposed by HBO’s documentary series Vice. With more awareness of this potential catastrophe than ever before, now we must stop the bulldozers destroying this priceless ecosystem in their tracks.

Will you raise your voice today to stop the bulldozers that are destroying the rainforests and peatlands of the Leuser Ecosystem?

The Leuser Ecosystem is an expanse of critically intact tropical lowland rainforests, cloud draped mountains and steamy peatlands. It is among the most biodiverse and ancient ecosystems ever documented by science, and it is the last place on Earth where Sumatran orangutans, elephants, tigers, rhinos and sun bears still roam side by side.

A moratorium is urgently needed to halt the destruction of rainforests and peatlands for palm oil expansion in this global biodiversity hotspot.

The Leuser Ecosystem exists at a tenuous crossroads. Palm oil plantations threaten its lowland rainforests and peatlands, as well as the continued wellbeing of the millions of Acehnese people who depend on it for their food, water and livelihoods.

We must convince three big buyers of palm oil to break any ties to companies that continue to expand and destroy rainforests and peatlands in the Leuser Ecosystem. The palm oil traders most at risk of trafficking Conflict Palm Oil sourced from the Leuser Ecosystem — Musim Mas Group, Wilmar International and Golden Agri-Resources — must take immediate action.

These three traders supply palm oil to the Snack Food 20, placing us at risk of Conflict Palm Oil making its way into our homes. Six months ago we exposed the risks in these companies’ supply chain. These companies have all adopted leading commitments and are starting to take action. But the threat to the Leuser is immediate, and the consequences would be devastating and irreversible: we simply can not afford to delay driving real change on the ground in the Leuser Ecosystem.

Call on these three palm oil traders to enforce an immediate moratorium on the clearance of rainforests and peatlands in the Leuser Ecosystem today.

With your help we will protect this global treasure for generations to come.

Long live the Leuser!
Gemma Tillack

http://www.ran.org/