Researchers from the University of Tasmania, the University of Papua New Guinea, and the Carnegie Institution for Science has recently found that 80% of the rainforests in Malaysian Borneo have been affected by industrial logging and logging roads. The scientists used high definition photos taken by satellites to uncover 364,000 kilometers of logging roads in Sabah and Sarawak, two states in Borneo, which leaves only 45,400 square kilometers of forest still intact. This degradation causes not only the destruction of many endangered species’ (such as the Sumatran rhinos) homes, but also allows immense amounts of carbon to be released into the atmosphere.
One solution proposed in this article is for Malaysia to focus on different industries exclude logging altogether. The problem with this solution is that Malaysia would need to find an alternate income stream. Also, the nation could not just cut off all ties to logging; it would have to slowly phase the industry out over several years. I personally believe that this solution is too slow to respond and by the time it took full effect, almost all of Borneo’s rainforests would be gone along with all of their unique plants and animals.
You make a great point in the last sentence about how, if they were to slowly cut out the logging industry, the rain forests would be practically gone anyway. It makes sense why it would take a while (new source of income and jobs needed, plus getting everyone to agree) but sometimes I wish governments could move a little quicker than they do. Probably the only reason why I could see a dictatorship as a good thing...but it works reverse too-- bad decisions could be made quicker as well.
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