Palm oil is used as a substitute for butter in the processed food industry to reduce the carbon and water footprint of the dairy industry. However, the production of palm oil has led to the encroachment of natural areas, causing the depletion of large areas of vegetation and forests, leading to a loss of biodiversity.
Palm oil plantations destroy natural ecosystems
Palm oil is used as a substitute for butter in the processed food industry to reduce the carbon and water footprint of the dairy industry. However, the production of palm oil has led to the encroachment of natural areas, causing the depletion of large areas of vegetation and forests, leading to a loss of biodiversity.
Nº 99
- Land, Food & Agriculture
- Changing Food Consumption
- Promotion of Vegan Diets
some attempts made
past case
Region-1
Region-2
Region-3
Region-4
ongoing case
no attempts made
None
Palm oil plantations destroy natural ecosystems
1) The north-eastern region of Pará in the Brazilian Amazon is recognised as a major centre for palm oil cultivation, commonly referred to as ‘polo do dendê’. This particular area has a long history of significant land-use change due to palm oil production. Between 1991 and 2003, a significant proportion, approximately 47.7%, of the region’s primary forest was converted for various uses, 30% of which was specifically for palm oil plantations. As a result, there was a significant 17% increase in degraded forest areas, while oil palm plantations expanded by 11%. These changes have had a ripple effect throughout the Amazon region, leading to landscape fragmentation, isolation of forest patches and increased demand for deforestation in other areas to accommodate transport infrastructure.
2) The rapid expansion of palm oil plantations in Indonesia is emerging as a major challenge to environmental conservation efforts due to unchecked growth driven by market demand and inadequate regulation. It is estimated that in 2020 alone, palm oil cultivation will be responsible for the emission of approximately 135.59 million tonnes of CO2. The practice has also led to widespread deforestation in regions with diverse ecosystems, threatening species such as orangutans in certain areas of the country. It has also led to the encroachment of intact forests and peatlands, among other negative impacts.
- Facilitated the efforts to address the initial problem
- Cascading (far-reaching effects following each other)
1) Almeida, A. S., Vieira, I. C., & Ferraz, S. F. (2020). Long-term assessment of oil palm expansion and landscape change in the eastern Brazilian Amazon. Land Use Policy, 9, 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2019.104321.
2) M A Shahputra and Z Zen. (2018). Positive and Negative Impacts of Oil Palm Expansion in Indonesia and the Prospect to Achieve Sustainable Palm Oil IOP Conf. Ser.: Earth Environ. Sci. 122 012008 DOI 10.1088/1755-1315/122/1/012008
Indonesia: Shahputra, M. A., & Zen, Z. (2018). Positive and Negative Impacts of Oil Palm Expansion in Indonesia and the Prospect to Achieve Sustainable Palm Oil. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 122, 012008. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/122/1/012008
Brazil: de Almeida, A. S., Vieira, I. C. G., & Ferraz, S. F. B. (2020). Long-term assessment of oil palm expansion and landscape change in the eastern Brazilian Amazon. Land Use Policy, 90, 104321. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2019.104321
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