(The Australian Op-Ed by Alan Oxley) - THE revelation that a World Wildlife Fund report was the source of an insupportable claim that glaciers in the Himalayas were melting rapidly is embarrassing for the body. The organisation has been silent about this. Little wonder. Its integrity is important. It is the largest environmental body in the world and has royalty and the cream of society and business on its boards. Its worldwide arms are estimated to turn over about $US400 million ($458m) annually, most from donations, but about 10 per cent is taxpayers' money.

(Jakarta Post Op-Ed by Alan Oxley) - The solution of both Greenpeace and WWF to the loss of jobs by stopping forestry is more foreign aid.  At Copenhagen they put forward proposals to provide Green welfare to poor countries in lieu of the jobs lost with draconian measures to reduce emissions. Most industrialized economies would not knowingly act to replace productive jobs with welfare in their own economies.  Yet Greenpeace and WWF consider this a viable strategy for the developing world. No wonder these strategies were rejected by developing countries at Copenhagen.

(Washington Times Op-Ed by Alan Oxley) - RAN accused the Indonesian paper manufacturer of everything from human rights violations to rainforest destruction. Even though reality didn't match these damning accusations, Gucci caved. Turning their attention stateside, these activists recently zeroed in on General Mills' headquarters - levying claims that the company's purchase of palm oil (a type of vegetable oil) from Cargill is destroying rainforests in Indonesia. RAN launched a similar attack on Cargill's own offices almost two years ago. Some Western companies - Whole Foods retailers in the U.S., Lush cosmetics in Britain, and Cadbury chocolate in New Zealand - have already succumbed to anti-palm oil campaigns and made a show by pulling the much-maligned commodity from their products.

(Deforestation Watch) - However, says Alan Oxley, Chairman of World Growth International: “The demands constitute an unconscionable attack on the livelihoods of millions of poor people. Developing nations will resist and they are right to do so." Led primarily by the likes of Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth, the environmentalists claim that palm oil is a leading generator of greenhouse gases. A rash of reports produced by these organizations blame palm oil for deforestation and for destroying orangutan habitat in Southeast Asia.