Demand for palm oil, a vegetable oil present in 1 in 10 supermarket products, is the most significant cause of rainforest loss in Malaysia and Indonesia. Palm oil plantations destroy biodiversity and are associated with human rights violations and worker exploitation. In Indonesia, the area of land occupied by palm oil plantations has doubled in the last 10 years. This habitat destruction threatens endangered species like the orangutan and Sumatran tiger with extinction. This Palm Oil campaign is a collaboration between FoE, Rainforest Information Centre, Australian Orangutan Project and Borneo Orangutan Project. The pages below will help inform you of what the issues are what what you can do to take action.
What is Palm Oil?
Palm oil is an edible vegetable oil obtained from the fruit of the African oil palm tree. It is used in many food, cosmetic and bath product. More recently it has been used as a biofuel feedstock.
Palm Oil issues
The production and processing of palm oil is unfortunately associated with many ecologically and socially unjust practices. From the eviction of indigenous people from their land to deforestation, forest fires and methane release from dried peat-lands that fuel climate change. Fertilizer and herbicide run-off combined with erosion lead to polluted water ways and when palm oil is used in food, it has such a high saturated fat content that even the Australian Heart Foundation recommend it should be avoided.
What can you do?
You can take action to protect forest, animals and uphold the rights of indigenous communities. Sign our petition, write some letters and learn more about the issues.
What are Friends of the Earth Doing?
Friends of the Earth Australia is a member of the Palm Oil Action Group which is active at many levels to raise awareness about palm oil issues in the community and push for political action to resolve some of the problems.
Resources on Palm Oil
A range of materials of the environmental and social justice impacts of palm oil production.
Palm oil campaign launch
The launch of the campaign, June 2007