Deforestation-Free And Zero-Deforestation, Palm Oil's Carbon Footprint

Deforestation-Free And Zero-Deforestation, Palm Oil's Carbon Footprint

Ecosystem protections are today often evaluated using carbon standards, the trade-off being valuation of carbon stock, and not the intrinsic value in natural landscapes.

In the publication “Recipes For Success: Solutions For Deforestation-Free Vegetable Oils” (Union of Concerned Scientists) is a great deal of detailed information regarding the reasons behind the 'why' regarding the push to expand Palm Oil production. One of my favorite conclusions that was among many in the report, was something to the effect: 'It's not consumer demand that has driven palm plantation expansions, but producer demand'.

“Outside the United States, Brazil and Argentina are the next two largest producers of soy. Argentina is expected to see a large expansion, possibly surpassing the United States in terms of production by 2030. Soy expansion in Argentina currently replaces natural brushland and existing cattle pastures with some expansion into tropical dry forest in the north, and these patterns are expected to continue. While expansion onto native ecosystems should be avoided, dry tropical scrublands are less biologically diverse and carbon-dense than humid forests, and thus may be a better option in situations where yield gains, efficiency improvements, and conservation incentives are not sufficient to stop unnecessary expansion into native ecosystems.”

“The soy industry has dramatically reduced deforestation, but the palm oil industry has made relatively little progress. Forest and carbon losses from palm oil expansion remain high, and there is a very limited supply of deforestation-free palm oil available. Currently there is no way to guarantee that the majority of the palm oil supply is deforestation-free.”

“Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SLS) is used to remove oily residues or stains and is found in many products such as floor cleaners, car wash soaps, and engine degreasers. It also has a thickening effect and the ability to create a lather, and is therefore used in many toothpaste, shampoo, shaving foam, and bubble bath formulations. Palm oil is frequently used in the production of SLS, an alternative source is coconut oil.”

“Because of their high smoke points, stearic and palmitic acids are used to make soap and also to produce the pearly effect found in many shampoos, soaps, and other cosmetic products such as shaving cream. Palm-based palmitic acid can be replaced with stearic acid produced from many animal fats and vegetable oils, and is found more abundantly in animal fats as well as in shea and cocoa butter than in most other vegetable oils. Lauric acid is used to produce soap and is also used in other cosmetics, and can be extracted from coconut oil as a replacement for palm kernel oil.”

Nestlé, Golden Agri-Resources, The (Expanded) Zero-Deforestation Footprint;

“The large demand from Nestlé for deforestation-free palm oil and strong consumer pressure has led to change on the ground as well. Golden Agri-Resources (GAR), the world’s second-largest palm oil plantation company, lost several of its major clients including Nestlé and Unilever in 2009 as a result of consumer outrage at accusations that GAR was clearing forests and draining peatlands to grow the palm oil. In response, GAR developed a forest conservation policy that aims to ensure it has “no deforestation footprint,” and began working with The Forest Trust to ensure it was meeting the standards of Nestlé and other companies (GAR 2011). Because of this commitment, and actions to reach the end goal of a “no-deforestation footprint,” both Unilever and Nestlé have again begun purchasing palm oil from GAR. If GAR’s progress is verified and it is able to continue down this path and supply deforestation-free palm oil, it will have a market advantage. GAR is on track to being a large-scale example proving that palm oil plantations can adopt higher standards and go deforestation-free.”

The full report, “Recipes For Success: Solutions For Deforestation-Free Vegetable Oils” (2012, Union Of Concerned Scientists can be found on the UCS website at: http://www.ucsusa.org/deforestationfree.

For a further discussion on the merits of High Carbon Stock and High Conservation Value Forest (and continued deforestation), view my post:
“Palm Oil Zero-Deforestation vs No-Deforestation: Carbon Offset Accounting”
http://banslickwaterfracking.blogspot.com/2015/02/palm-oil-zero-deforestation-vs-no.html

In a realistically cynical view, the intersection of the HCS and HCV forest analysis is the adjustment of linguistics and merits application for Forestry, and Forest Investment Models. In the analysis “No Significant Differences” between HK3 and HK2 forests, this area of overlap means continued deforestation. The loss of the largest trees and impacts to intact forest tree communities (HK3) are mitigated by the “no significant differences” in the overlap of the HK2 forest.

HK2 and HK3 define forest types by structure, density of canopy closure, size of tree both in diameter and height, and not necessarily by tree type. In the 'Conducted Analysis of Variance” it is determined that “There are no significant differences between HK3 and HK2.”

Zero-Deforestation vs No-Deforestation

The “No-deforestation policy” by definition, according to Greenpeace, “is no human induced conversion of natural forests, with the exclusion of small-scale low intensity subsistence conversion. Only degraded forest lands that are not High Carbon Stock, High Conservation Value, or peatlands may be converted to non-forest, it also involves the active conservation, protection, and if necessary, restoration of natural forests by those who control and/or manage them.”

For industry, there are two different target approaches to Zero-Deforestation;
-One is gross which equates the reduction of deforestation of native forests to the increase in the establishment of new forests on previously cleared lands (reforestation).
-While net deforestation inherently equates the value of protecting native forests with that of planted forests.

“Earth Balance” butter spreads, are a case in point why it is so difficult to be sure of palm oil sourcing.

1) “30% of our Palm Fruit Oil purchase is certified organic and sustainably grown in Brazil (as opposed to SE Asia where the environmental and social issues have drawn grave and justified concerns globally). Our supplier is Agropalma.”
http://www.agropalma.com.br/eng/

Agropalma “has an amazing track record in environmental and social stewardship, and for this they have been recognized since 2003 when they were granted certificates ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 related to Quality, Environmental Management and Safety and Occupational Health, respectively.”

2) “The remaining 70% of the palm fruit oil that we purchase is sourced not from Indonesia, nor from Borneo, but from peninsular Malaysia. All of our suppliers of conventional palm fruit oil are members of RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil), which is the leading global organization developing and implementing global standards for sustainable palm oil production. Additionally, all of the palm sourced from these suppliers comes only from existing palm plantations, not new jungle-clearing projects. We insist on continuing assurances from our suppliers that all palm fruit oil purchased for Earth Balance complies with the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil policies and we would not hesitate to terminate suppliers that violate such policies.”

Yet, vast areas of natural forest in Malaysia have already been cleared for oil palm plantations over the past 30 years, putting a number of plant and animal species at risk. Some scientists have called the crop the "single most immediate threat to the greatest number of species" for the impact expansion has had on habitat of endangered wildlife in Southeast Asia.
http://news.mongabay.com/2009/0125-palm_oil.html

First Large-Scale Map Of Oil Palm Plantations Reveals Big Environmental Toll
Rhett A. Butler March 07, 2011
http://news.mongabay.com/2011/0307-koh_palm_oil.html

"Conversion of peatswamp forests to oil palm led to biodiversity declines of 1% in Borneo (equivalent to four species of forest-dwelling birds), 3.4% in Sumatra (16 species), and 12.1% in Peninsular Malaysia (46 species)," they write. Birds were used as a proxy for biodiversity loss. “

Two years later, on Peninsular Malaysia, “Oil palm plantations have extinguished the last habitat of a rainforest tree in Malaysia. The plantations were established after Bikam was de-gazetted, or re-zoned from a logging concession for conversion to oil palm.”

Data released by NASA in June 2013 showed a spike in deforestation in Perak between January and March 2013.
http://news.mongabay.com/2013/0730-keruing-paya-extinction-palm-oil.html

“Malaysian Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Douglas Uggah Embas said the government is in the final stages of drawing up the Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO)certification to improve standards and the image of locally produced palm oil products. MSPO certification takes into account 60 local laws, including environment and wildlife legislation along with other state laws.”

“Douglas said many foreign nongovernmental organizations insist markets only buy palm oil which meets standards set out by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil but their criteria is too expensive for Malaysian smallholders.”

“He said the government’s MSPO certification requirements will include best agriculture practices and will ensure smallholders will not be at a disadvantage. The minister is currently the Member of the Malaysian Parliament for the Betong constituency in Sarawak, where the oil palm industry is big business.”

“At the same time, the MSPO will address the impact of the palm oil industry on the Orang Asli indigenous minority peoples of Peninsular Malaysia, deforestation, lost of biodiversity and the impact on wildlife including the orangutan.”
http://ens-newswire.com/2013/10/28/malaysia-to-increase-palm-oil-component-of-biodiesel/

The Story Of The Orang Asli

The Orang Asli are the indigenous minority peoples of Peninsular Malaysia. “Land dispossesion remains a persistent issue facing the Orang Asli. There are numerous instances when Orang Asli had to give up their lands, or had the lands taken from them. For instance, the Orang Asli community at the 6th mile Cameron Highlands Road planted rubber and fruit trees in their traditional lands in 1974. In 1979, neighboring villagers applied for part of the Orang Asli land, and were successful. When the Orang Asli protested, they were told by the Assistant District Officer to move out because the area was now 'Malay Reserve Land' and that they were staying there illegally.”
http://magickriver.net/oa.htm

“In another case, in Bidor, part of the land of the Orang Asli has been taken over by a tin mining company. Then without notice nor consultation, a large portion of the remaining land was cleared by the authorities to make way for a government (Felcra) agricultural development project. Many fruit trees belonging to the Orang Asli were destroyed, despite assurances by the JHEOA that it would not happen. And the Orang Asli were not assured of any kind of compensation. To make it worse, they were asked by the JHEOA to move to another area further inland.”

“Generally, for most Orang Asli lands that are not gazetted as reserves, it has been difficult for the communities to resist pressures to relocate. The source of these pressures are varied: the government (as in the case of Sepang in Selangor where the Temuans were resettled to make way for the new international airport), corporations (as in the case of Stulang Laut in Johore where the Orang Laut were relocated to make way for a business complex), and even individuals (as in several rural fringe areas where locals as well as foreign migrant workers are staking out Orang Asli lands for their own).”

In 2008 “Living On The Periphery” was published. The MagicRiver document referenced above was published 11 years previous.

“Living on the Periphery exposes the attitudes of the non-Orang Asli, their different world views, and especially their control of local resources. Even for people familiar with Malaysia, Nobuta's ethnographic account puts a spotlight on the jarring inequalities experienced by Orang Asli that otherwise are so easily overlooked.”

"Living on the Periphery shows that there is no shortage of problems arising from development projects and Islamization in the history of the small indigenous Temuan community studied. The book is exceptional in that it provides by far the most detailed description to date of development and Islamic pressure on the Orang Asli." A. Baer, Asian Anthropology (Vol.7) 2008.

From the Center For Orang Asli Concerns “Living On The Periphery” (PDF 13MB 402 pgs)
http://www.coac.org.my/main.php?section=publications&article_id=47

For the Orang Asli, RSPO Certification means continued loss of lands and access.

“There is no clearer indication of how marginalized the Orang Asli are in the larger scheme of things, as in how they are treated in our written laws. This includes the Federal Constitution, where the Orang Asli (or more correctly, 'aborigines', which is the term used in the Federal Constitution) are mentioned in a few places, no more than 4 to be precise.”

“Thus, while Part VI of the Federal Constitution explicitly mentions the need to get the consent from the Natives of Sabah and Sarawak regarding any matters affecting them, it is important to note that this recognition is not extended to the Orang Asli. And while Article 76(2) states that Parliament cannot make any law with respect to matters enumerated in the state list without the consultation of the Malays and Natives of Sabah and Sarawak in the states concerned; again this recognition is not extended to the Orang Asli.”

“The Orang Asli, are not accorded the special position as are the Malays and the Natives of Sabah and Sarawak under Article 153. This is especially so in the case of recognizing and protecting the Orang Asli's customary lands. Hence, while there may be Orang Asli Reserves created, they are in no way similar in the ease of creation, or in their permanency of tenure, or the extent (area-wise) that have been accorded to the Malay Reservations or the native customary lands of the Natives of Sabah and Sarawak.”

From: Talking points presented at the Judicial and Legal Training Institute (ILKAP)'s
National Law Conference on 'Law and Social Order: Current Challenges in Malaysia'
Putrajaya International Convention Center, 11-12 November 2014
http://www.coac.org.my/main.php?section=articles&article_id=123

Also published in 2014 were several papers from traveling conservationist Sara Green visiting the Orang Asli on Peninsular Malaysia at a time when the tribe was in court against expansion of a palm plantation were soon to be granted an appeal against an eviction notice from their ancestral lands.
https://sarajcegreen.wordpress.com/2014/02/28/the-astounding-extend-of-oil-palm/

From her blog: Palm Oil, as an ingredient is a tricky customer and can be packaged under different names; “Say No to Palm Oil” provides a list of products to avoid and has some helpful hints on spotting palm oil in the ingredients list.
http://www.saynotopalmoil.com/palm-oil.php#ProductLists

The Ethical Consumer Palm Oil Free List:
http://www.ethicalconsumer.org/shoppingethically/palmoilfreelist.aspx

And lastly, brought forth by the UN University “Our World” an article of personal accounts, from the Orang Asli (Malay for Original First Peoples) published in 2011 titled: “Displaced Indigenous Malaysians Face Uncertain Future”
http://ourworld.unu.edu/en/displaced-indigenous-malaysians-face-uncertain-future

Which brings us to a certification requirement from the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) where its criteria state for it's members "There is compliance with all applicable local, national and ratified international laws and regulations” (Criterion 2.1). “Principles and Criteria for the Production of Sustainable Palm Oil 2013”
http://www.rspo.org/file/PnC_RSPO_Rev1.pdf
The link states Rev1 but the document is Rev2

(Criterion 2.1) Implementing all legal requirements is an essential baseline requirement for all growers whatever their location or size. Relevant legislation includes, but is not limited to: regulations governing land tenure and land-use rights, labour, agricultural practices (e.g. chemical use), environment (e.g. wildlife laws, pollution, environmental management and forestry laws), storage, transportation and processing practices. It also includes laws made pursuant to a country’s obligations under international laws or conventions (e.g. the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), ILO core Conventions, UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights). Furthermore, where countries have provisions to respect customary law, these will be taken into account. Key international laws and conventions are set out in Annex 1.

Annex 1 can be found on p. 64 of the 71 page document: “Principles and Criteria for the Production of Sustainable Palm Oil 2013”

March 2014 – Malaysia has again rejected a suggestion at the United Nations that the UN Special Rapporteur on Indigenous Rights should be allowed to visit the country....
http://news2borneo.blogspot.com/2014/03/malaysia-rejects-indigenous-rights-at-un.html

And so we see that, over the years, a company's stated concern for Orangutan habitat can be used in deference to addressing actual impacts never receiving mention in protests and letters.

Palm Oil is cheap, but only because of stolen lands, cheap labor, logging concession conversion, massive illegal land clearing and burning, corruption, and big NGO's supporting market mechanisms that continue deforestation and blur the boundaries of forest biometrics and indigenous community use lands, all having occurred mostly over the last 15 to 20 years.

Boycott SE Asia Palm Oil Products, and re-define your lifestyle. Country Of Origin Label And Plantation Location might be a good indicator for other States globally that produce Palm Oil.

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Visit my climate change blog for the full 5 part series on Palm Oil.
STEAM INJECTION IS LITERALLY GLOBAL WARMING
constant comments, and informative research links;
http://banslickwaterfracking.blogspot.com/

Tomas DiFiore