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Expanding of palm oil industry makes the rain forests at stake
According to a UN report, from 1999 to 2010, 20% of the forests in Indonesia have disappeared, and the cause of this rapid deforestation is the balm oil industry. Greenpeace, an international environmental protection organization, released a research report pointing out that from 2009-2011, 1/4 of the damaged rain forests are caused by the expanding of palm oil industry. For the same reason, the rain forests on the Sumatra Island are decreasing by 250,000 hectares every year, which equals to more than 5600 Tiananmen Squares.
The deforestation not only causes the increasing emission of greenhouse gas, but also poses threats to the survival of the “native habitats” such as orangutans, Sumatran elephants, Sumatran tigers and other kinds of wild animals. At present, there are only less than 400 Sumatran tigers left.
The “Palm Oil That Deforests” flows into the global supply chain
Why the planting of palm oil has always been expanding? The reporter found that a strong profit motive is behind the booming of balm oil industry. The increasing demand for balm oil makes some companies pursue short-term benefits and expand the planting area of balm trees with the cost of destroying original rain forests.
Round Table for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), the biggest organization promoting the sustainable development of palm oil industry, acts as the accomplice for the crime of deforestation to some extent. This organization has over 700 members all over the world, including palm tree growers, oil processors, traders and consumer enterprises. In 2009, 14% of the forests in Indonesia were owned directly or indirectly by RSPO members. Among these forests, 21% natural forests have been destroyed, including nearly 20,000 hectares of peatland forests that have rich carbon storage. The biggest enterprise in the relevant RSPO members is the Wilmar International Group in Singapore.
The Wilmar International Group is the largest company of balm oil trade in the world, which owns many large-scale plantations and refineries in Indonesia. The Wilmar International Group controls most of the balm oil that is exported from Indonesia, but 50% of the raw material comes from the third-party suppliers. In July, 2013, the WWF revealed the palm oil processing plant in Indonesia that had been certified by RSPO as purchased and processed illegal raw material of palm oil. Those raw materials came from the Tesso Nilo State Reserve that is protected by laws, and the third-party supplier illegally destroyed the original forests and planted palm trees. “Environmental-Friendly Product” should be more than a label
The deforestation and other environmental problems caused by palm oil industry made the APEC conference turn down the request for labeling the product as an “Environmental-Friendly Product”. It means that when the consumer enterprises of palm oil claim that they are “environmental friendly”, they do not realize that their products are in relation to environmental damages. In the reporter’s investigation, many experts said that “Environmental Friendly” is not only a label, and “environmental protection” is not a fancy slogan that can be randomly used by any enterprise. It is a long-term commitment as well as social responsibility for any enterprise. The consumer enterprises of palm industry should have a better understanding of the relation between palm oil and deforestation so that they can identify the problems that may cause deforestation in their supply chains and take measures accordingly. Only by stopping the current planting and operation model, can palm oil really become an “Environmental-Friendly Product”.
In fact, palm oil industries don’t need to sacrifice forests to develop themselves. Relatively comprehensive solutions have been established in the industry. For instance, the “Palm Oil Innovation Group” (POIG) initiated by environmental protection organizations and producers with advanced planting techniques is a set of environmental standards that are worth referring to. Compared with RSPO, POIG is committed to establish a set of stricter and more suitable standards for the production of palm oil, in order to help more plantations to implement the policy of “zero deforestation”. It will allow more consumers to buy the products of “zero deforestation” palm oil.
According to a UN report, from 1999 to 2010, 20% of the forests in Indonesia have disappeared, and the cause of this rapid deforestation is the balm oil industry. Greenpeace, an international environmental protection organization, released a research report pointing out that from 2009-2011, 1/4 of the damaged rain forests are caused by the expanding of palm oil industry. For the same reason, the rain forests on the Sumatra Island are decreasing by 250,000 hectares every year, which equals to more than 5600 Tiananmen Squares.
The deforestation not only causes the increasing emission of greenhouse gas, but also poses threats to the survival of the “native habitats” such as orangutans, Sumatran elephants, Sumatran tigers and other kinds of wild animals. At present, there are only less than 400 Sumatran tigers left.
The “Palm Oil That Deforests” flows into the global supply chain
Why the planting of palm oil has always been expanding? The reporter found that a strong profit motive is behind the booming of balm oil industry. The increasing demand for balm oil makes some companies pursue short-term benefits and expand the planting area of balm trees with the cost of destroying original rain forests.
Round Table for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), the biggest organization promoting the sustainable development of palm oil industry, acts as the accomplice for the crime of deforestation to some extent. This organization has over 700 members all over the world, including palm tree growers, oil processors, traders and consumer enterprises. In 2009, 14% of the forests in Indonesia were owned directly or indirectly by RSPO members. Among these forests, 21% natural forests have been destroyed, including nearly 20,000 hectares of peatland forests that have rich carbon storage. The biggest enterprise in the relevant RSPO members is the Wilmar International Group in Singapore.
The Wilmar International Group is the largest company of balm oil trade in the world, which owns many large-scale plantations and refineries in Indonesia. The Wilmar International Group controls most of the balm oil that is exported from Indonesia, but 50% of the raw material comes from the third-party suppliers. In July, 2013, the WWF revealed the palm oil processing plant in Indonesia that had been certified by RSPO as purchased and processed illegal raw material of palm oil. Those raw materials came from the Tesso Nilo State Reserve that is protected by laws, and the third-party supplier illegally destroyed the original forests and planted palm trees. “Environmental-Friendly Product” should be more than a label
The deforestation and other environmental problems caused by palm oil industry made the APEC conference turn down the request for labeling the product as an “Environmental-Friendly Product”. It means that when the consumer enterprises of palm oil claim that they are “environmental friendly”, they do not realize that their products are in relation to environmental damages. In the reporter’s investigation, many experts said that “Environmental Friendly” is not only a label, and “environmental protection” is not a fancy slogan that can be randomly used by any enterprise. It is a long-term commitment as well as social responsibility for any enterprise. The consumer enterprises of palm industry should have a better understanding of the relation between palm oil and deforestation so that they can identify the problems that may cause deforestation in their supply chains and take measures accordingly. Only by stopping the current planting and operation model, can palm oil really become an “Environmental-Friendly Product”.
In fact, palm oil industries don’t need to sacrifice forests to develop themselves. Relatively comprehensive solutions have been established in the industry. For instance, the “Palm Oil Innovation Group” (POIG) initiated by environmental protection organizations and producers with advanced planting techniques is a set of environmental standards that are worth referring to. Compared with RSPO, POIG is committed to establish a set of stricter and more suitable standards for the production of palm oil, in order to help more plantations to implement the policy of “zero deforestation”. It will allow more consumers to buy the products of “zero deforestation” palm oil.