Moratorium on forest clearings may be extended: Indonesian minister

The suspension on clearing of forests for plantations and mining activities, which expires on Wednesday (May 13), may be extended, according to Indonesia's Deputy Minister for Environment Degradation Control and Climate Change Arief Yuwono. 

Speaking at an environment forum in Singapore on Wednesday, Mr Arief said the government is working on the final draft of the moratorium and this will be issued soon. He added that one focus of the moratorium is on law enforcement.  

The moratorium was launched in 2011 by former President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, and extended by him again in 2013.

The moratorium is a two-year commitment to protect primary forest and peatland covering more than 60 million hectares of land, including those in Sumatra and Kalimantan.