PALM OIL is DEVASTATING the RAINFOREST | LIVEKINDLY

Summary

Palm oil, found in nearly half of supermarket products, is a leading cause of deforestation and habitat loss, particularly in Indonesia and Malaysia. It's a major contributor to climate change, with production linked to forest fires and peatland drainage. The industry also impacts local communities and wildlife, including endangered species like orangutans. While bans and sustainable alternatives are emerging, the Round Table on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification aims to improve industry practices, encouraging sustainable production to mitigate environmental and social impacts.

Takeaways

• 🌳 Palm oil is found in nearly 50% of all packaged products, including food and cosmetics.
• 🌍 90% of the world's palm oil is produced in Indonesia and Malaysia, regions known for their biodiverse tropical forests.
• 🐘 Palm oil production is a leading cause of deforestation, habitat loss, and is linked to the endangerment of many species.
• 🌡️ Indonesia is the third-largest global producer of greenhouse gases, largely due to the high deforestation rate for palm oil production.
• 📈 Annual palm oil production increased by 400% between 1995 and 2015, and it is expected to grow at the same rate by 2050.
• 🌿 Palm oil plantations now account for 10% of all permanent global cropland, leading to significant forest clearance.
• 🔥 Forests are often burned to make space for palm oil crops, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions.
• 🐯 Deforestation and pollution from palm oil production have severe impacts on endangered species like orangutans and tigers.
• 🏡 Local communities suffer economically and face increased human-wildlife conflicts due to palm oil plantations.
• 🚫 Some countries and companies are implementing bans or restrictions on palm oil to combat unsustainable production.
• 🌱 Sustainable palm oil initiatives like the RSPO certification aim to improve the industry's environmental and social impact.

Q & A

What is palm oil and why is it commonly used?

Palm oil is an edible, versatile vegetable oil found in nearly 50% of all packaged and supermarket products, including pastries, peanut butter, chocolate, shampoo, soap, and lipstick. It is widely used due to its high quality, versatility, and cheap production.

Where is the majority of the world's palm oil produced?

Approximately 90% of the world's palm oil is grown across a few islands in Indonesia and Malaysia, which contain one of the most biodiverse tropical forests in the world.

What environmental issues are associated with palm oil production?

Palm oil production leads to deforestation and habitat loss, particularly in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Nigeria. It is also a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions due to forest fires used to clear land for plantations.

How has the growth of palm oil production impacted Indonesia's position in global greenhouse gas emissions?

Indonesia is currently the third largest global producer of greenhouse gas due to the high deforestation rate associated with the palm oil industry.

What is the impact of palm oil production on tropical forests and ecosystems?

The production of palm oil requires vast areas of land, leading to the clearing of valuable tropical forests and ecosystems with high conservation values. This has resulted in the destruction of critical habitats for many endangered species.

How does the burning of forests for palm oil plantations contribute to climate change?

The burning of forests for palm oil plantations releases carbon dioxide, contributing to climate change. Additionally, the draining and conversion of tropical peat forests in Indonesia, which are significant carbon sinks, further exacerbates the problem.

What are the effects of palm oil production on wildlife, specifically endangered species?

Palm oil production affects at least 193 threatened species worldwide, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. It has played a major role in the decline of species such as orangutans and tigers.

How does palm oil production impact local communities and human rights?

Palm oil production often leads to the displacement of local communities and can deepen inequality. The development of new plantations can cause economic suffering for communities whose access to forests is not adequately compensated by palm oil profits.

What actions are being taken to address the negative impacts of palm oil production?

Some countries like Peru and Norway have made pledges or implemented bans on palm oil-driven deforestation. The Round Table for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification is an effort to improve the industry's sustainability by setting best practices for producing and sourcing palm oil.

What alternatives to palm oil are being explored to address sustainability concerns?

Startups like C16 Biosciences and Kiverdi, as well as academic institutions like the University of Bath, are developing sustainable alternatives to palm oil, such as lab-grown oils that are identical to traditional palm oil but without the deforestation.

What role can consumers play in promoting sustainable palm oil practices?

Consumers can demand more action to tackle the issues, support companies with RSPO certification, and choose products that are deforestation-free. They can also participate in grassroots campaigns to raise awareness about sustainable palm oil.

Outlines

00:00

🌴 The Ubiquity and Environmental Impact of Palm Oil

This paragraph discusses the prevalence of palm oil in everyday products and its environmental consequences. Palm oil, derived from the oil palm tree, is found in nearly half of all packaged goods, including food items like pastries, peanut butter, and chocolate, as well as non-food items like shampoo and lipstick. It's also used as biofuel and animal feed. Despite its versatility and low production cost, palm oil's mass production leads to deforestation, habitat loss, and contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, particularly in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Nigeria. The paragraph highlights the rapid growth in palm oil production over the last five decades and its impact on biodiversity, including the endangerment of species like orangutans and tigers.

05:01

🐘 The Effects of Palm Oil on Wildlife and Indigenous Communities

The second paragraph delves into the detrimental effects of palm oil production on wildlife and indigenous people. It details how deforestation and habitat destruction due to palm oil plantations have led to the decline of species such as orangutans, Sumatran rhinoceroses, and elephants. The paragraph also addresses the social impact, including economic hardships faced by local communities due to the development of palm oil plantations and the increase in human-wildlife conflicts. It mentions the violence faced by activists and communities resisting palm oil expansion, highlighting specific cases of murdered activists and the broader issue of land conflicts and human rights violations tied to the industry.

10:01

🚫 Palm Oil Bans and the Quest for Sustainability

This paragraph explores initiatives to ban or sustainably produce palm oil in response to environmental and social concerns. It mentions Peru's pledge to end deforestation driven by palm oil by 2021, aligning with global efforts to mitigate climate change. The paragraph also covers Norway's ban on palm oil-based biofuels and the European Union's policies to restrict palm oil use. It discusses the British supermarket Iceland's self-imposed ban on palm oil in its products and the complexity of the issue, noting that boycotting palm oil might lead to the use of more land-intensive alternatives. The importance of sustainable palm oil production is emphasized, with the Round Table for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) being highlighted as a significant effort to improve industry standards.

15:04

🌱 Sustainable Alternatives to Palm Oil

The final paragraph focuses on sustainable alternatives to palm oil. It discusses the potential of lab-grown oil by startups like C16 Biosciences, which aims to replace deforestation-linked palm oil with a sustainable alternative. The paragraph also mentions other efforts, such as those by the University of Bath and the San Francisco-based startup Kiverdi, to develop sustainable replacements for palm oil. It concludes with a message of hope from Dr. Jane Goodall, emphasizing the importance of protecting rainforests, working with companies for deforestation-free products, and ensuring government protection of forests and indigenous rights as part of a future where sustainable practices prevail.

Keywords

💡Palm Oil

Palm oil is a type of edible vegetable oil derived from the fleshy mesocarp of the fruit of oil palm trees. It is widely used in the production of a vast array of consumer goods, from food items such as pastries, peanut butter, and chocolate to personal care products like shampoo and lipstick. The video discusses how palm oil's versatility and low-cost production have made it ubiquitous, but also highlights the environmental and social costs associated with its production.

💡Deforestation

Deforestation refers to the large-scale clearing of forests, often for agricultural or developmental purposes. In the context of the video, deforestation is a significant issue because it is a primary driver of habitat loss and a major contributor to the production of palm oil. The script mentions that to make space for palm oil plantations, vast areas of tropical forests with high conservation values are being cleared, leading to severe environmental consequences.

💡Biodiversity

Biodiversity is the variety of life in any given ecosystem or on Earth as a whole. It includes the variety within species, between species, and of ecosystems. The video emphasizes that palm oil production is devastating to biodiversity because it leads to the destruction of natural habitats that are home to many species, including critically endangered ones.

💡Greenhouse Gases

Greenhouse gases are gases that trap heat in the Earth's atmosphere, contributing to global warming and climate change. The video points out that Indonesia, a major producer of palm oil, is the third-largest global producer of greenhouse gases due to the industry's high deforestation rate and the burning of forests to make space for palm oil crops.

💡Habitat Loss

Habitat loss occurs when natural environments are destroyed or degraded, often due to human activities such as deforestation and agriculture. The video discusses how the expansion of palm oil plantations leads to habitat loss for many species, including orangutans and tigers, which are forced to adapt to shrinking territories or face extinction.

💡Endangered Species

Endangered species are those that are at risk of extinction in the wild. The video mentions that palm oil production affects at least 193 threatened species worldwide, with the expansion of oil palm potentially affecting a significant percentage of all threatened mammals and birds.

💡Sustainable Palm Oil

Sustainable palm oil refers to palm oil that is produced with minimal negative impact on the environment and local communities. The video discusses the Round Table for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification, which sets best practices for producing and sourcing palm oil. Sustainable production aims to reduce the environmental and social damage caused by the industry.

💡RSPO Certification

RSPO (Round Table on Sustainable Palm Oil) certification is a voluntary certification scheme that sets environmental and social criteria which companies must adhere to in the production of palm oil. The video explains that this certification is an effort to improve the industry's sustainability and that 20% of palm oil production worldwide has been certified to the RSPO standards.

💡Indigenous Communities

Indigenous communities are groups of people who are the original inhabitants of a particular geographic area. The video discusses how palm oil production has a lasting impact on local communities, often leading to economic hardship and displacement. These communities often lack adequate compensation for the loss of their traditional lands and resources.

💡Human-Wildlife Conflict

Human-wildlife conflict arises when the actions of wildlife have a negative impact on human activities, or vice versa. The video mentions that as deforestation continues to displace wildlife due to palm oil production, the increase in human-wildlife conflict results in both human and non-human casualties.

💡Land-Hungry

Land-hungry refers to industries or practices that require large amounts of land for their operations. The video uses this term to describe the nature of palm oil production, which requires vast areas of land for plantations, leading to the clearing of forests and the conversion of diverse ecosystems into monoculture plantations.

Highlights

Palm oil is found in nearly 50% of all packaged and supermarket products.

Palm oil production is a leading driver of deforestation and habitat loss.

Indonesia is currently the third largest global producer of greenhouse gas due to the industry's high deforestation rate.

Annual production of palm oil increased 400% between 1995 and 2015.

Palm oil plantations account for 10% of all permanent global cropland.

The replacing of natural environments with monoculture palm plantations has destroyed critical habitats for many endangered species.

Forests are frequently burned to make space for palm oil crops, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions.

Draining and converting tropical peat forests in Indonesia is particularly damaging due to their high carbon storage.

Palm oil production affects at least 193 threatened species around the world.

The expansion of oil palm could affect 54% of all threatened mammals and 64% of all threatened birds globally.

10,000 of the critically endangered Bornean orangutans are currently found in areas allocated to oil palm.

750 to 1,250 orangutans are killed yearly in human-orangutan conflicts, mostly linked to the expansion of palm-based agriculture.

Palm oil production also has a lasting impact on local communities and associated pollution is a growing problem in Southeast Asia.

Many communities suffer economically from the development of expanding palm oil plantations.

Deforestation marginalizes the poor and deepens inequality, threatening the survival of Indigenous communities.

Palm oil bans are one way in which the international community is attempting to take action on unsustainable palm oil production.

The Round Table for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification is an effort to improve the industry's sustainability.

Sustainable alternatives to palm oil, such as lab-produced oil by C16 Biosciences, are being developed.

The phasing out of products that use unsustainable palm oil is made possible by a combination of legislation, grassroots campaigning, and sustainable alternatives.

Transcripts

- [Narrator] You may not know it,

but it's likely that some of the food you eat

and products you use everyday contain palm oil.

This edible, versatile vegetable oil

is found in nearly 50% of all packaged

and supermarket products.

This includes everything from pastries,

peanut butter, and chocolate,

to shampoo, soap, and lipstick.

In some regions, it's also used as a biofuel

and as animal feed.

Palm oil is widely used because it is a combination

of high-quality and versatility with cheap production.

However, cheap and mass-produced palm oil comes at a cost.

Why is palm oil bad for the environment?

Palm oil is found in the fruit of the oil palm tree,

which exclusively grows in tropical climates.

Approximately 90% of the world's palm oil

is grown across just a few islands

in Indonesia and Malaysia.

This region contains one of the most

biodiverse tropical forests in the world.

While palm oil has many diverse uses,

it's proliferation is devastating the diversity

of the natural world.

Palm oil production is a leading driver

of deforestation and habitat loss.

Particularly in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Nigeria,

the top three regions for palm production.

Because of the industry's high deforestation rate,

Indonesia is currently the third largest

global producer of greenhouse gas.

Worldwide production of palm oil has grown steadily

in the last five decades.

Annual production increased 400% between 1995 and 2015,

and it is expected to grow by the same rate before 2050.

According to World Agroforestry,

palm oil plantations account for 10%

of all permanent global cropland.

The sheer quantity of palm oil being produced,

and the land required to do so, means that huge areas

of tropical forest and valuable ecosystems

with high conservation values are being cleared.

The replacing of diverse natural environments

with vast monoculture palm plantations

has destroyed critical habitats

for many critically endangered species.

- In 1985, Riau in Sumatra,

was covered by natural forest.

The natural forest was the home

for wild elephants and wild tigers,

but since the industry came into the province,

that then start the deforestation.

- [Narrator] According to the World Wildlife Fund,

forests are frequently burned

to make space for palm oil crops,

a key contributor to the industry's

greenhouse gas emissions.

The intensive cultivation methods favored

on such plantations also results in serious soil pollution,

extensive water contamination, and erosion.

The WWF says, "The practice of draining

"and converting tropical peat forests in Indonesia

"is particularly damaging.

"These carbon sinks store more carbon per unit area

"than any other ecosystem in the world.

"Additionally, forest fires used to clear vegetation

"in the establishment of palm plantations,

"are a source of carbon dioxide

"that contributes to climate change."

Celebrated anthropologist and conservationist,

Dr. Jane Goodall, has described rainforests

as ecological marvels, million of years in the making.

- [Dr. Goodall] They contain a staggering diversity of life.

They create the oxygen we breathe,

and regulate our climate.

They are our life-support system.

(water crashing)

But rainforests are at grave risk.

Every second of every day, an irreplaceable rainforest

the size of a football field is destroyed.

Powerful economic and political interests

are driving their destruction

to produce beef, palm oil, and paper.

- [Narrator] How does palm oil production impact wildlife?

The extensive industrial destruction of forests

by palm oil plantations inevitably

impacts the local flora and fauna.

Intentional burning, in particular,

caused extreme habitat loss.

Deforestation , and pollution of air, water and soil

destroys the habitat of endangered and Indigenous animals

in the areas surrounding palm oil plantations.

According to the International Union

for Conservation of Nature's red list of threatened species,

palm oil production affects at least 193 threatened species

around the world.

IUCN also estimates that the expansion of oil palm

could affect 54% of all threatened mammals,

and 64% of all threatened birds globally.

The IUCN explains, "It also reduces the diversity

"and abundance of most native species.

"It has played a major role in the decline in species

"such as orangutans and tigers.

"Some 10,000 of the estimated 75,000 to 100,000

"critically endangered Bornean orangutans

"are currently found in areas allocated to oil palm."

The IUCN estimates that 750 to 1,250 orangutans

are killed yearly in human-orangutan conflicts,

of which most are linked to the expansion

of palm-based agriculture.

According to National Geographic,

almost 150,000 critically endangered Bornean orangutans

perished between 1999 to 2015.

Sumatran rhinoceroses and elephants

are also impacted by unsustainable palm oil production.

According to WWF, fewer than 3,000 Sumatran elephants

now remain in the area.

The Sumatran rhino population is also unstable.

And the combination of poaching and palm oil production

threatens the rapidly dwindling population.

How does palm oil impact people?

Palm oil production also has a lasting impact

on local communities,

and the associated pollution is a growing problem

for people throughout Southeast Asia.

Many communities also suffer economically

from the development of expanding

and new palm oil plantations.

Often, people's lack of access to the forests

is not adequately compensated by the profits

of palm oil production.

Goodall has said that in addition

to wiping out countless species,

deforestation marginalizes the poor and deepens inequality.

These industries are threatening the survival

of Indigenous communities.

As deforestation continues to displace wildlife

such as tigers, orangutans, and elephants,

the increase in human-wildlife conflict

results in both human and non-human casualties.

Many Indigenous communities,

in addition to NGO's and environmental groups,

protest the expansion of palm oil production in Indonesia.

- In Jambi, one of the province in the island of Sumatra,

is the conflict between the local people

and the palm oil company.

- [Narrator] This community resistance is met

in part with violence,

and has resulted in the murder

of several prominent campaigners and activists.

Human rights lawyer, Antonio Trejo Cabrera,

was ambushed by gunmen leaving a church in Honduras in 2012.

Cabrera's death was proceeded by a series

of successful cases in which he represented

local organizations against the palm oil company, Dinant.

While the company was never linked to Cabrera's death,

in 2013 the International Finance Corporation

denied Dinant a multimillion dollar loan installment.

The corporation cited allegations that 40 different murders

could be linked to its plantations, security guards,

and third-party security contractors.

Environmental activist, Bill Kayong,

who had been working with Bornean villages

to reclaim land from a Malaysian palm oil company,

was also murdered.

While three individuals were originally

charged with the murder,

a director and shareholder of the Tung Huat Niah Plantation

was suspected by police and fled the country.

- 45-year-old Stephen Lee Chee Kiang is the fourth

and main suspect to be charged

with the (murmuring) reps murder.

Just days after Bill Kayong was gunned down mafia-style

on June 22nd, this year,

Lee fled the country and has been on the run ever since.

Local police and Interpol had been on a manhunt

and they managed to arrest him in China

with the help of Chinese authorities.

- [Narrator] Unfortunately, many reports of activists deaths

follow a similar pattern,

including the murder of the Guatemalan teacher,

Rigoberto Lima Choc, one of the first people to document

the negative impact of palm oil production

on the local community and environment.

Land conflicts have become increasingly common

as plantations continue to grow

and human rights groups watch the palm oil industry closely.

How do palm oil bans work?

Palm oil bans are one way in which

the international community is attempting

to take action on unsustainable palm oil production.

Last year, Peru became the second South American country,

after Columbia, to make a sustainable palm oil pledge.

It aims to end palm oil-driven deforestation by 2021.

Peru's environment-minded commitment

aligns with the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report,

which assesses the potential impacts of climate change

and ways to adapt to and mitigate the environmental crisis.

Peru's pledge also aligns

with the Joint Declaration of Intent

signed with Norway and Germany,

which aims for the end of deforestation by 2021.

In 2018, Norway announced a complete ban

on palm oil-based biofuels.

While biofuels make up just one section

of the palm oil market,

new European Union policies restricting the use of palm

in non-food sectors aim to reduce overall demand.

Norway's Rainforest Foundation commissioned a 2017 report

on palm oil-based biofuels

and found them to be more damaging

to the climate than fossil fuels.

Perhaps several times worse.

The EU is working toward a 2030 deadline

to phaseout the use of palm oil.

In 2018, British supermarket Iceland

introduced a self-imposed ban on palm oil

in all of its private label products.

The supermarket worked with Greenpeace

to announce the campaign.

- An orangutan in my bedroom.

Just before you go, why were you in my bedroom?

I really want to know.

There's a human in my forest,

and I don't know what to do.

He destroyed all of our trees

for your food and your shampoo.

There's a human in my forest

and I don't know what to do.

He took away my mother,

and I'm scared he'll take me too.

- [Narrator] By eliminating palm oil

from its own brand products,

Iceland aims to reduce the amount

of palm oil used each year by 500 tons.

Palm oil is a complicated issue.

And while boycotting palm oil as an individual,

a company, or in the form of a national ban is one option,

some experts point out that an even more land-hungry form

of oil production may take its place.

What about sustainable palm oil?

- If the biggest companies can be sustainable

the others will follow.

But if the biggest cannot,

what will happen with the others?

- [Interviewer] So you're trying

to make an example of Sinar Mas?

- Yes, of course.

So that's why we keep pushing Sinar Mas.

You're the biggest.

You should be leading the example to show the government,

and also other stakeholders in the industries,

and the people, that you can change.

- [Narrator] Compared to other oils,

palm oil is a remarkably economical crop.

It is the sheer scale of demand and production

that causes difficulties.

According to WWF, palm oil currently supplies 35%

of the world's vegetable oil demand on just 10% of the land.

Also, despite the impact of unsustainable production

on local people, palm oil is a crucial crop

for certain communities.

The WWF explains palm oil is an important crop

for the GDP of emerging economies.

There are million of small holder farmers

who depend on producing palm oil for their livelihood.

Boycotting palm oil is not always the answer,

but demanding more action to tackle the issues

and go further and faster is.

The Round Table for Sustainable Palm Oil,

or RSPO certification,

is one such effort to improve the industry's sustainability.

The RSPO has a production standard

that sets best practices producing and sourcing palm oil.

It also currently has the buy-in

of most of the global industry.

- Of course, being the first company in Indonesia

to obtain the RSPO certificate, we are proud.

And we hope that other plantation company

in Indonesia will follow suit.

- [Male Narrator] 20% of palm oil production worldwide

has been certified to the standards of the Roundtable.

This includes over 3.2 million hectares of certified land.

- [Narrator] By growing sustainably

and providing encouragement and incentives for companies,

the RSPO aims to improve the overall standard

of palm oil production.

Goodall also supports sustainable palm oil production.

- You can't say ban palm oil altogether,

because vegetable oil is needed

and it might mean even more land destroyed

to grow other kinds of vegetable oil.

So the solution is to have palm oil

from sustainable plantations,

no more cutting down the old growth forests.

- [Narrator] Some experts believe that palm oil alternatives

are the best way to deal with the sustainability issues

of mass-produced palm oil.

Earlier this year, Bill Gates' investment fund,

Breakthrough Energy Ventures,

led a 20 million dollar

series A investment round in C16 Biosciences.

The startup uses bio-reactors to grow oil in a lab

that's almost identical to traditional palm.

- Cells need sugar just like we do, right?

And that's what makes these really, really awesome

is that they take the sugar in,

and they do some really interesting chemistry

and biology inside themselves,

and they make, they turn that sugar into oils.

C16 aims to replace all deforestation linked palm oil

with its sustainable lab-grown alternative.

A San Francisco-based startup called Kiverdi

is also working on a sustainable alternative to palm oil,

as is the University of Bath in the UK.

The phasing out of products that use unsustainable palm oil

is made possible by a combination of legislation,

grassroots campaigning, and sustainable alternatives

such as C16's lab-produced oil.

C16 brews palm oil much like beer,

which the company believes is a likely path

in the development of sustainable palm oil alternatives.

In a short film for climate change organization

The Year's Project, Goodall gives a reason for hope.

- [Dr. Goodall] But there is still hope

where a different future awaits us,

where faith unites us to make rainforests

a shared spiritual priority,

where we teach our communities that rainforests

are a sacred trust,

where we feed a growing planet

without converting rainforests,

where we work with companies to ensure their products

are deforestation-free,

and where we make sure that governments protect forests

and the rights of Indigenous peoples.

This is the future where we do what is right.

- [Narrator] That's it for today.

Did you learn anything new about palm oil?

Do you actively avoid unsustainable palm oil in your life?

Let us know in the comments below.

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(light music)