23 December 2020
Once covered in vast tropical forests, East Kalimantan, in the Indonesian half of Borneo Island, is today the most intensively mined province in Indonesia.
Surface mining for coal has left behind vast expanses of barren land across the province.
Under Indonesian law, mining companies are
3 December 2020
Seeking quick returns, Chinese investors are driving a scramble for plantation land in parts of northern Myanmar.
30 November 2020
Big projects backed by Beijing have gained fresh momentum now that the Rajapaksas have staged a political comeback
12 November 2020
A Korean palm oil giant has been buying up swathes of Asia's largest remaining rainforests. A visual investigation published today suggests fires have been deliberately set on the land
Petrus Kinggo walks through the thick lowland rainforest in the Boven Digoel Regency.
"This is our mini market,"
20 October 2020
Main photo: The area of China's proposed Vang Vieng development project in Laos is shown in a March 2019 photo (RFA).
A controversial Chinese development project in Laos is now moving ahead despite environmentalists’ warnings and long delays caused by villagers’ objections to surveys of their land
27 September 2020
One of the ugliest features of the modern world is the exploitation of natural resources for private gain irrespective of its consequences for the environment and the larger community, especially the poor majority.
10 September 2020
Conflict over how best to protect the biodiversity of Myanmar’s Tanintharyi region may be contributing to the rapid loss of its forest cover.
Habitats of globally threatened species, including the critically endangered Gurney’s pitta and recently discovered geckos, face destruction due to logging
2 September 2020
The Doing Business Report (DBR) has been “paused” by the World Bank after acknowledging a number of “irregularities” in the data used.
The report—used to drive policy and regulatory changes favorable to businesses and corporations—ranks countries on the “ease of doing business.”
This
28 August 2020
One day land title transfer registration improves Malaysia’s position in World Bank’s ‘Doing Business’ report.
The efficiency of the one day land title transfer registration had contributed to the country's position in the 'Registering Property' indicator evaluated by the World Bank's 'Doing
10 August 2020
LAHAD DATU, Aug 9 — Over 3,000 Sabah native land titles have been granted to Sabahans this year, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal.
He said the land titles were handed over to among others residents of Tawau, Kalabakan, Keningau and Tambunan.
“We will make sure that the Sabah Land
16 July 2020
Main photo: land to be taken for the Vientiane Expressway in Laos is shown in a 2020 photo (RFA)
Residents of the Lao capital Vientiane are resisting seizure of their land by a Lao-China joint venture building an expressway, saying they had been promised earlier their land would not be taken, and
14 July 2020
Concession to extract timber from 148,000 hectares in upper Baram was granted despite repeated objections from local communities.
Main photo: Communities like Long Tungan are working hard to find a way to protect their lands and save some of the most valuable carbon and biodiversity stocks we have