Tom Walker

Investigative reporting on environment, corruption, land @geckoproj. Formerly tech/AI @AdaLovelaceInst @EngnRoom.

[The Gecko Project (BlueSky: @thegeckoproject.org) @geckoproj]

NEW: Our latest investigation finds evidence suggesting that Royal Golden Eagle, one of the world’s largest pulp & paper producers, is behind a string of secretive companies that have cleared large areas of Indonesian rainforest.

Published w/ @business

https://t.co/sdMMtCOX1O

[The Gecko Project (BlueSky: @thegeckoproject.org) @geckoproj]

NEW: Indonesia’s new president brands himself as a successful businessman, with a $130m fortune and a vast landbank.

But is he really so successful? We delved into the companies linked to him to find out.

Read our investigation with @Rainforest_RIN:

https://t.co/Hx9AL3FSPH

[Matthew Green @matthew_d_green]

Telegram has launched a pretty intense campaign to malign Signal as insecure, with assistance from Elon Musk. The goal seems to be to get activists to switch away from encrypted Signal to mostly-unencrypted Telegram. I want to talk about this a bit. 1/

[Gustavo Faleiros @gufalei]

This week, the @pulitzercenter , IPI, and @earthjournalism join forces to discuss recommendations to keep environmental journalists safe when investigating. At the Unesco´s World Freedom of the Press Day, please join us https://t.co/0AVb56OcnE

[ICIJ @ICIJorg]

Eight companies stopped sourcing palm oil from First Resources after ICIJ partner @geckoproj found the billionaire family behind it controlled a network of “shadow” companies that cleared more forest for palm oil than any other firm in Southeast Asia.

https://t.co/GC9jWLtXRo

[Crofton Black @cr0ft0n]

Investigative reporting opportunity promo: @LHreports has a new fellowship program, 6 months, paid, 3 different positions https://t.co/puz0dc6lhl

[The Gecko Project (BlueSky: @thegeckoproject.org) @geckoproj]

We uncovered evidence suggesting "sustainable" palm oil producer First Resources has secretly controlled companies destroying Indonesian rainforest.

Now, companies in the US and Europe are dropping First Resources in response.

With @ICIJorg @FTM_eu

https://t.co/gG28dd9TGa

[Tom Walker @thomwithoutanh]

Come work with me!

[The Gecko Project (BlueSky: @thegeckoproject.org) @geckoproj]

Join our team:

We're hiring an experienced editor to oversee a series of our investigations as we expand our work in Indonesia and globally.

🌐 #remotejob (between UTC and UTC+8)
🗓️ Apply by 29 March

https://t.co/iBDbLOI8Hj

[David Gaveau @GaveauD]

Please follow the new Nusantara Atlas account.
It tracks real-time & historical deforestation and land use changes in Equatorial Asia, offering alerts and insights for forest conservation. An essential tool for verifying deforestation legality nd sourcing commodities consciously

[Tom Walker @thomwithoutanh]

Tax havens like the BVI, Cayman Islands and Samoa are playing a significant role in the destruction of Indonesia’s rainforests. Here's how:

#BeneficialOwnership #transparency

[The Gecko Project (BlueSky: @thegeckoproject.org) @geckoproj]

Secrecy jurisdictions like the BVI are known for facilitating illicit financial flows.

But they also enable the destruction of Indonesia’s rainforests - by allowing the country's leading deforesters to hide their ultimate beneficial owners.

https://t.co/0k4tqQw8Om

[Giulio Coppi @GiulioWolfe]

3. Polarization: Neutrality doesn't really work on digital. Many providers and data processes support both humanitarian and military targeting
4. Opacity: Everyone just publishes PRs. And blog posts. It's sad.
5. Dependency: Fewer big actors means less choice/resilience 14/

[Global Investigative Journalism Network @gijn]

🌏 Are you an aspiring environmental journalist from a tropical country that is home to a biodiversity hotspot?

Then don't miss the Y. Eva Tan Conservation Reporting Fellowship by @MongabayOrg.

Apply for the next cohort by Feb 10. https://t.co/d5drWqPGh9

[Gareth Davies @Gareth_Davies09]

.@TBIJ is looking for a reporter with experience of company accounts to work on an ongoing investigation on a freelance basis. Please DM or email me (address in bio) if interested (or you know someone who might be). Thanks!

[The Gecko Project (BlueSky: @thegeckoproject.org) @geckoproj]

This week we published our latest investigation, Chasing Shadows.

Here's a thread on how others have built on/followed up on its findings:

https://t.co/8IUdfgAlAx

[Tom Walker @thomwithoutanh]

NEW: Investigation from us @geckoproj finds First Resources, one of the world’s largest palm oil producers, appears to have secretly controlled a network of companies that have been clearing rainforests in Indonesia for more than a decade.

🧵

[Tom Walker @thomwithoutanh]

@RSPOtweets @aurigaorid @WhatsNYourPapr @Greenpeace @RAN @ICIJorg @GreenpeaceID @ForestPeoplesP Read the full investigation - published as part of Deforestation Inc, a collaboration coordinated by @ICIJorg involving reporters from 28 countries -
here:

https://t.co/JWCcDWuGnI

[Tom Walker @thomwithoutanh]

NEW: Investigation from us @geckoproj finds First Resources, one of the world’s largest palm oil producers, appears to have secretly controlled a network of companies that have been clearing rainforests in Indonesia for more than a decade.

🧵

[The Gecko Project (BlueSky: @thegeckoproject.org) @geckoproj]

Who is behind the secretive company that has destroyed vast tracts of rainforest in Indonesian Borneo? Find out in our new investigation!

Chasing Shadows - out today. https://t.co/E5ZEfNjtx3

[Tom Walker @thomwithoutanh]

@RSPOtweets @aurigaorid @WhatsNYourPapr @Greenpeace @RAN @ICIJorg @GreenpeaceID Angus MacInnes of @ForestPeoplesP:

“We need to hold these huge palm oil groups to account. They can't have one arm that sign up to human rights & sustainability standards, zero deforestation [...]

"But then have this other arm involved in egregious human rights violations.”