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.