Press release 12 November 2009

Friends of the Earth Finland and Greenpeace Nordic

UPM-Kymmene's decision to stop pulp purchases from APRIL welcome

UPM-Kymmene's decision to stop purchasing pulp from APRIL is a right step towards saving rainforests. The company announced that it will stop purchases by the end of 2009.

- We have convincingly shown, how APRIL destroys rainforest in Indonesia. Due to the ever increasing deforestation, Indonesia's greenhouse gas emissions are world's third largest. UPM-Kymmene's announcement to stop the use of APRIL's pulp is therefore very welcome. APRIL's other customers should follow suit, so that rainforests could be saved, says Maija Suomela, palmoil campaigner of Greenpeace Nordic.

Friends of the Earth Finland started its campaign against the alliance between UPM and APRIL in 1997. Even though the alliance was stepwise dissolved, the campaign by Friends of the Earth stops only now, after UPM's recent announcement.

- UPM's decision to stop pulp purchase from APRIL is welcome. Still UPM does not deserve praise on how it has handled the matter. The company has supported APRIL through granting loans and buying pulp, and has thus worsened the state of Sumatra's forests. During the 12-year cooperation, APRIL nearly tripled its pulp capacity and cleared hundreds of thousands of hectares of rainforest for pulp, says Otto Miettinen, forest campaigner of Friends of the Earth Finland.

In addition to UPM, also Finnish pulp and paper machinery manufacturers and the consultant Jaakko Pöyry have done business with APRIL, backed by Finnish governmental export guarantees and political support.

- For a change, Finland could take a positive role towards Indonesia's forests, and use its political weight to protect peat swamp forests, not to destroy them, says Otto Miettinen.

UPM's announcement followed a Greenpeace demonstration, which halted APRIL's land clearing activities in rainforests of Kampar Peninsula, Sumatra, Indonesia. The Finnish activist that took part in the demonstration, Petteri Pykäläinen, is still in custody of the Indonesian police.

Contacts:

• Otto Miettinen, Friends of the Earth Finland, forest campaigner, +358 50 551 4026
• Maija Suomela, Greenpeace Nordic, palm oil campaigner, +358 40 180 9303
• Juha Aromaa, Greenpeacen Nordic, information officer, +359 9 622 922 10 or +358 50 369 6202

Background information on Kampar Peninsula:

• Kampar Peninsula as a conservation priority, factsheet by FOE Finland (pdf)
• Greenpeace press release on Kampar Peninsula demonstration