Palm Oil: The Critical Role of Consumers in Preventing Deforestation

Palm oil production is one of the leading causes of deforestation in Malaysia and Indonesia, destroying wildlife habitat, threatening the homes of endangered animals and displacing native people. One of the animals most harshly affected by palm oil production is the orangutan.

Deforestation is the biggest threat to the survival of this orangutans. Most of the large-scale land clearing operations in Indonesia and Malaysia are undertaken to establish palm oil plantations, making palm oil the biggest contributor to the population decline in orangutans.

Despite being classified as endangered, experts say that orangutans could be extinct within the next twenty years unless immediate and firm action is taken to conserve the species.

However, there are many organisations that are fighting to conserve the species and their habitat. One of these is Orangutan Conservancy, chaired by Dr Raffaella Commitante. Much of the work they do is centred around training locals to be experts in conservation so they can share this training with their community.

BORNEO

Borneo is at the centre of this debate. The island, which is shared by Malaysia and Indonesia, is home to the critically endangered Bornean Orangutan.  

Borneo is facing a dire situation. About 50% of the orangutans on the island have been killed or removed since 1999. Researchers predict that the number of deaths will continue to increase into the future.

Most threatened is the Tapanuli Orangutan, with only about 800 remaining. They can be found in Indonesia. The Northwest Bornean Orangutans are also facing threats to their survival, with only 1500 remaining after years of their habitat being destroyed under agricultural land clearing (most often for palm oil), mining and logging.

PALM OIL IN AUSTRALIA

This debate is becoming increasingly relevant in Australia, as the levels of consumption for Australians are rising. In 2017, Australians consumed 135 thousand tonnes – 135000000 kilograms – of palm oil, an increase of 3.85 from the previous year. This is a visible trend, with an increase in consumption yearly from 2013 to 2017.

The levels of palm oil consumption within Australia are predicted to further incline to the highest they have been in the upcoming three years. This prediction is based on data from the US Department of Agriculture.

LAND-GRABS AND DISPLACEMENT

Not only does palm oil negatively impact wildlife, it also has consequences for the local people. Researcher, Dr Tania Li says that, one way for government officials and corporations to gain access to the land in Indonesia is through manipulation. Land rights in Indonesia are weak and without official documents, land-holders are easily manipulated to believe that they are not permitted to turn away corporations. Often they sell their land, sometimes for less than it is worth because they believe it is better than them taking the land without compensation.

Often palm oil corporations ‘enclave’ existing settlements, meaning they are left in tact, surrounded by the palm oil plantations. Dr Li says the land may be enough to let the locals continue to farm their rubber trees or fruit as they did before.

Later, they come to find that the enclaves are too small to sufficiently farm for future generations. This is when they experience the ‘grab’.

Dr Raffaella Commitante has a PhD in Biological Anthropology and is president of not for profit, Orangutan Conservancy. She says that the displacement of locals often results from the environmental consequences of palm oil plantations.

“Once the trees leave, there is nothing to hold the soil. In a country with monsoons and rainy seasons, when the rains come, the area gets flooded. There are mudslides that go into people’s homes and destroy them. They are left with nothing.”

CORRUPTION

Malaysia and Indonesia are very different in their approach to palm oil. Dr Raffaella Commitante says that Malaysia still allows land-clearing for palm oil plantations, but they are more conscious of sustainability and the welfare of the local people. 

“When you go into Malaysia, into the areas where this heavy duty processing has happened, you can see that the villagers have benefitted; there is more wealth that has come into the area. Sadly, in Indonesia, when a big scale operation comes in, the local population do not benefit.”

She says the conditions in Malaysian Borneo are less dire than the neighbouring side of Indonesia.

“It seems in Malaysia they are trying to up the budget that they give to conservation organisations and there is government support for it. In Indonesia there is zero government support for these organisations.”

Ultimately, it comes down to government corruption and corporate greed.

“In Indonesia companies have to buy a concession as the land belongs to the government. What they do in this area is up to them, the government does not care.”

The palm oil corporations make billions of dollars exporting the product across the globe. Palm oil is so deeply ingrained into the global market because it is in countless products, from chocolate bars to soap. Palm oil corporations make huge amounts of money from this product demand.

“It is a good product from one perspective because you don’t need a lot to produce a lot. But because it is driven by greed and you can make so much more money with even more land, that is what drives this engine. It makes it seem insurmountable to try to control because of the amount of money involved.”

CAN PALM OIL BE CONSUMED ETHICALLY?

The Palm Oil Buyer’s Scorecard is a means for consumers to check if the brands they buy are sustainable. The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) exists to help ensure that companies which are labelled ‘sustainable’ are consistently adhering to the standard of sustainability they set.

Still, this does not put a halt on deforestation. According to Dr Commitante, the original idea behind sustainability was that no new plantations would be built, and the oil would only be produced from older plantations. She says this is not the case now, with governments being offered money to bend the rules.

HOW CAN CONSUMERS HELP?

Global awareness that consumers have a big role to play is the first step in preventing deforestation.

“I think that a complete ban on deforestation is the only way out. In order to affect real change, it needs to be from the top down,” Dr Commitante.

Still Dr Commitante believes that action at the local level can also be impactful. She says that people can be drivers for this change. If consumers do not want any new plantations, and they make that clear through their buying habits, palm oil corporations would be forced to listen.

“My vision for the future is that we wont need conservation because it will be automatic. We shouldn’t have to fight so hard to save this planet,” she says.

You can support Dr Commitante’s organisation or find out more about Dr Tania Li’s research.