overconsumption--2009

Palm Oil productionin Indonesia and MalaysiaPalm oil is an edible oil extracted from the fruit of the oilpalm. It is used in food products, cosmetics and increasinglyas a biofuel. Indonesia and Malaysia are the world’slargest producers. Between 2000 and 2006 imports ofpalm oil products into the EU almost doubled from 1.2to 2.2 million tonnes, mostly for food and cosmetics. 12Additional demand resulting from EU biofuel targets couldresult in the import of a further 13 million tonnes per yearby 2020. 13 6.5 million hectares of land have alreadybeen converted to palm oil plantations in Indonesia anda further 20 million hectares for palm oil have now beenearmarked for further expansion. 14Palm oil production is having a devastating environmentaland social impact.In 2007 Indonesia was ranked as having the world’s thirdhighest greenhouse gas emissions, not because of itshigh consumption (consumption alone would put it in 21stplace) but because of the draining of its peatlands andconversion of tropical forest to agriculture, largely palmoil for export. 15 In order to clear forest, the Indonesiangovernment, international funders and companies aretrampling over the rights of indigenous people who livesustainably off the forest and whose land is being convertedwithout their permission. They are promised jobs andeconomic advancement, but conditions on plantations canbe harsh and often families are better off before palm oil. 16Biodiversity loss is another major problem associatedwith palm oil. Key habitat for numerous species, includingiconic ones such as the orang-utan, is being wiped out byoil palm development. 17Meanwhile the Malaysian Government plans massivecontinued expansion and rebuts environmental concernsas “protectionist agendas” from developed countries thatdeforested their own land centuries ago. 18 Palm oil raisesimportant questions about Europe’s ecological footprint– how much land do we need to feed our lifestyles? Arewe really willing to dig up our tropical rainforests in orderto fuel our cars? How much responsibility are we preparedto take for the devastation of resource extraction elsewherein the world?14 | OVERCONSUMPTION? Our use of the world’s natural resources