Net still unpopular for environmental news

Net still unpopular for environmental news

By Stevie Emilia

JAKARTA (JP): Whenever you are seeking information on specific
issues like which animals are on the endangered species list, or
if you just want to learn more about conservation, the Internet
is generally the easiest place to find what you are looking for.

Since the introduction of the Internet, many environmental
organizations have used this tool to disseminate information
about ecological issues.

One of the most comprehensive websites on the environment
belongs to the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP),
www.unep.ch.

The site offers information on diverse topics, such as the
Basel Convention on the Transboundary Movement of Hazardous
Waste, the Convention on International Trade of Endangered
Species, the Rotterdam Convention on Trade in Hazardous
Chemicals, the UN System-Wide Earthwatch and a global resource
information database.

The World Conservation Union (IUCN)'s latest report, Red List
2000: Confirming the Global Extinction Crisis, can be found at
its website, www.iucn.org, along with the latest news on
the recent World Conservation Congress in Amman, Jordan. The site
also highlights the congress' conclusion: "No loss of species is
acceptable".

IUCN, whose programs cover biodiversity policy, forests,
environmental law, marine and coastal monitoring and evaluation,
species survival and wetlands, also calls for people to join in
its environmental fight for Earth's animals and plant diversity
through its website.

The website of the Swiss-based World Wide Fund for Nature
(WWF), a well-known non-governmental organization, is also a good
source of information for those wanting to learn about its major
campaigns, which are grouped in five categories -- living planet,
climate change, endangered seas, forests for life and living
waters.

WWF's site also publishes the latest news and feature articles
focusing on different environmental topics, including the result
of its latest study: Warmer world intensified extreme weather,
'natural disaster'. Apart from news, one can also look at its
photo gallery, video library, art gallery, earth reports and a
special section for kids.

The Washington-based Conservation International Foundation's
eye-catching website, www.conservation.org, provides information
of its on-going programs in 25 countries, mainly in Asia-Pacific
region, Africa, South America, Central America, Mexico and
Brazil, including in endangered hotspot regions.

Through the website, the group is trying to preserve and
promote awareness about the world's most endangered biodiversity
through scientific programs, local awareness campaigns and
economic initiatives.

Local NGOs

Indonesia's rich biodiversity is not well-protected through
strict law enforcement, making information through the media a
crucial and determining factor to ensuring the existing problems
will be heard by concerned parties.

However, most local environmental NGOs still prefer using
"common" media such as newspapers and television to disseminate
environmental messages. The use of the Internet is still
unpopular.

"Maybe because the audience of local NGOs is mainly
Indonesians, only a few of whom have access to the Internet.
That's why the Internet is not yet considered strategic to spread
environmental news and campaigns," A. Ruwindrijarto of the
Telapak Indonesia Foundation told The Jakarta Post on Monday.

He did say that Telapak Indonesia has its own website,
www.telapak.org. "But we haven't officially launched the site
yet ... hopefully, we can do it this year."

He said the decision to have a website was mainly intended to
strengthen its networks with other activists and NGOs, both here
and abroad.

"Through the website, our main goal is to improve our
networking so we can share and manage information with other
activists and NGOs. The general public is our second target,
although in the future we realize that the Internet will be a
main and widespread media," Ruwindrijarto said.

The executive director of the Indonesian Center for
Environmental Law (ICEL), Wiwiek Awiati, said the decision on
whether to use the Internet to spread environmental information
would depend on the group's target, in this case people who are
concerned with the environment.

"Looking at the present general situation in Indonesia, the
percentage of Internet users is still very limited. But if we
want environmental issues to become international issues, the
Internet is a good media to use," she told the Post.

Wiwiek said Icel already has its own website, www.icel.or.id,
but at the moment it is being upgraded.

Apart from environmental news, the website, which is both in
Indonesian and English, also consists of various information
about environmental laws and regulations, such as on forestry,
mining and spatial plans, she said.