How Palm Oil Conquered the World
Harvesting palm oil fruits in Borneo
Around the world, foods such as chocolate, margarine, chips, cookies, pastry and ice cream are made with unsustainable palm oil. It is also used as a base for most liquid detergents, soaps and shampoos. Globally it is estimated that palm oil is used in about 50% of the packaged food products in supermarkets today.
But how often do we stop to think about where it comes from? Palm oil is one of the world’s fastest expanding crops and a massive 85% of all palm oil comes from Indonesia and Malaysia.
That huge demand is placing an unbearable strain on the remaining rainforests of the world – not least in Borneo. And, as the rainforests disappear, the orangutan inches closer and closer to extinction.
But how often do we stop to think about where it comes from? Palm oil is one of the world’s fastest expanding crops and a massive 85% of all palm oil comes from Indonesia and Malaysia.
That huge demand is placing an unbearable strain on the remaining rainforests of the world – not least in Borneo. And, as the rainforests disappear, the orangutan inches closer and closer to extinction.
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Illegal logging for paper industry and forest clearing for Palm oil plantation, Sumatra, Indonesia
The Devastating Effect of Palm Oil
Orangutans are the largest tree-climbing mammal and the only great ape found in Asia. The world's insatiable demand for palm oil is a major factor in the orangutan's decline. In the past six decades, their numbers have fallen by up to a half. Today, there could be as few as 50,000 left.
Grown sustainably, palm oil can provide vital livelihoods in an environmentally friendly way. But so far, too many manufacturers seem reluctant to pay a little extra for sustainably produced oil.
Grown sustainably, palm oil can provide vital livelihoods in an environmentally friendly way. But so far, too many manufacturers seem reluctant to pay a little extra for sustainably produced oil.
What WWF is doing
Habitat Protection and Restoration
WWF works hard to rehabilitate degraded forests by planting new seedlings and protecting existing trees so that orangutans can still survive. WWF is also developing innovative solutions with the palm oil sector to use degraded lands for new sustainable palm oil plantations. This will protect the remaining natural forests, and provide a brighter future for orangutan populations.
Protected Areas
Working closely with governments and local communities, we help to establish and maintain a vital network of protected areas and sustainably managed forests where hunting and illegal logging are prohibited. The two largest protected areas on the island are found within the Heart of Borneo.
Species Monitoring
Most orangutans live outside the protected zones in forests that are vulnerable to exploitation. It’s crucial that our rangers monitor them closely to track their progress and better understand their habitat needs.
Working with Industry
WWF worked with producers and distributors of palm oil to set up the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil in 2004. The RSPO is now a global initiative with more than 400 members, including oil palm growers, oil processors, food companies, retailers, NGO's and investors representing about half of the world's palm supply. WWF has played an active role in the development of both RSPO and certified sustainable palm oil (CSPO). WWF asks companies buying palm oil to become active members of the RSPO and put in place policies and systems to control where the palm oil is sourced. We are expanding work in the world's two largest palm oil markets, India and China, to help make sure that CSPO becomes the norm rather than the exception.
WWF works hard to rehabilitate degraded forests by planting new seedlings and protecting existing trees so that orangutans can still survive. WWF is also developing innovative solutions with the palm oil sector to use degraded lands for new sustainable palm oil plantations. This will protect the remaining natural forests, and provide a brighter future for orangutan populations.
Protected Areas
Working closely with governments and local communities, we help to establish and maintain a vital network of protected areas and sustainably managed forests where hunting and illegal logging are prohibited. The two largest protected areas on the island are found within the Heart of Borneo.
Species Monitoring
Most orangutans live outside the protected zones in forests that are vulnerable to exploitation. It’s crucial that our rangers monitor them closely to track their progress and better understand their habitat needs.
Working with Industry
WWF worked with producers and distributors of palm oil to set up the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil in 2004. The RSPO is now a global initiative with more than 400 members, including oil palm growers, oil processors, food companies, retailers, NGO's and investors representing about half of the world's palm supply. WWF has played an active role in the development of both RSPO and certified sustainable palm oil (CSPO). WWF asks companies buying palm oil to become active members of the RSPO and put in place policies and systems to control where the palm oil is sourced. We are expanding work in the world's two largest palm oil markets, India and China, to help make sure that CSPO becomes the norm rather than the exception.