A palm oil plantation outside Pekanbaru, Riau. The world’s appetite for wood, pulp and palm oil is fuelling the destruction of peatlands, while widespread deforestation has made Indonesia the third largest emitter of carbon in the world. A great deal of this contribution comes from the near-annual forest fires on islands such as Sumatra and Borneo
Photograph: Ahmad Zamroni/AFP

A natural peatland in Kampar, Riau. When healthy, peatland plays host to dense, swampy forest which efficiently soaks up greenhouse gases; when exposed by deforestation, it actually emits CO2. Felling trees on peatland therefore has a twofold effect on greenhouse gas emissions
Photograph: Ahmad Zamroni/AFP

An untouched dipterocarp forest, on peat in Sumatra
Photograph: Steve Midgley/FAO Forestry

Acacia logs await transportation beside a forest in Pangkalan Kerinci, Riau province. South-east Asia will be hit particularly hard by changes in weather patterns, causing the region’s agriculture-dependent economies to shrink by an estimated 6.7% per year by the end of the century
Photograph: Dita Alangkara/AP

Regenerated palm oil trees are seen growing on the site of destroyed tropical rainforest in Kuala Cenaku, Riau province
Photograph: Dimas Ardian/Getty Images