The political economy of Indonesia's 1997 forest fires

Key Points

• This research examines the political and economic factors contributing to the 1997 forest fires in Indonesia.
• Literature review of previous studies on Indonesian forest fires
• Analysis of policies affecting timber production
• Case studies of affected regions
• Economic policies prioritized timber production leading to widespread deforestation.
• Political factors exacerbated the vulnerability to forest fires during the 1997 season.
• Environmental policy responses were insufficient to mitigate future fire risks.