Change Makers

A partnership between the Rainforest Information Centre, Hatchlings Productions and the Carbon Conservation Company in Indonesia led to an extraordinary social change that shows no signs of slowing.

Two concerns drove this Indonesian project –the enormous climate costs from burning rainforest for Palm Oil (up to 20% of the worlds emissions) and the loss of orangutan habitat. A documentary was not the end product – rather, it was the catalyst for change that so far includes commitment from the Indonesian President and three local governors to a carbon trading programme to protect rainforest and provide income, a global coffee chains offer of an alternate, fair trade crop and connections spreading globally, including Canberra, California and the Amazon.

The project worked on two levels –practical grass roots communication and problem solving, and intense political negotiations. Its success is due to passionate project leaders who put themselves on the line and never stopped believing.