| Many environmental organisations and | | | | over 20 times more than corn. Another factor |
| conservationists have been warning us that eating | | | | making palm oil in increasing demand is apart from |
| foods and using biodiesel made from palm oil is | | | | being used in Biodiesel production, it is also used as |
| having a direct effect upon and threatening the | | | | an ingredient in many other day to day household |
| survival of that much loved primate the | | | | foodstuffs as well as cosmetics. Ironically, oil palm |
| Orangutan. | | | | may be more ecologically friendly due its higher |
| So what's all the fuss about? | | | | yield factor in theory requiring less land by a |
| Environmentalists have generally been largely | | | | significant factor than traditional crops. Many |
| supportive of the adoption of biodiesel because, | | | | environmental organisations, oil companies and |
| apart from being biodegradable, it gives off fewer | | | | western governments recognise this and are |
| emissions when used in our vehicles. Not all | | | | beginning to try to put the case to the local |
| biodiesel fuel is the same however, some are | | | | governments concerned. |
| better than others in the way they are produced | | | | But oil prices are going down now so will demand |
| and environmental organisations have begun to | | | | for palm oil drop? |
| question oil palm cultivation especially, in recent | | | | Palm oil prices tend to move in step with the price |
| years, how large areas of natural rainforest have | | | | of crude oil and during the second half of 2008 |
| been cleared to make way for oil palm plantations. | | | | prices have fallen rapidly also as a result of the |
| It is argued that apart from the loss of forest | | | | global recession demand for palm oil should slow |
| ecosystems, oil palm cultivation has become a | | | | down. Critically, does this mean we will see a slow |
| major polluter on a local level due to indiscriminate | | | | down in the expansion of oil palm plantations? |
| use of petroleum based pesticides and fertilizers. | | | | Supply and demand economics for palm oil |
| This has lead to soils becoming so polluted over | | | | suggest it should do, but the sceptics amongst us |
| time that many previously fertile areas have | | | | have maintained that oil palm development may in |
| become wastelands. | | | | fact be a cover for something that is far more |
| What has given rise to this deforestation? | | | | profitable - logging. In Indonesia millions of |
| Western governments have largely embraced the | | | | hectares of forest have been cleared for |
| need to cut emissions and have set aggressive | | | | plantation development and plans are in place to |
| targets encompassing the use of so called first | | | | double oil palm production over the next 15 to 20 |
| generation Biofuels made from food crops. The | | | | years spilling over into Borneo. Logging is a much |
| transportation sector has been singled out due to | | | | more profitable to both the logging companies and |
| the fact it is a major volume source of carbon | | | | the local governments. |
| emissions. It could be argued that this has | | | | What of the Orangutans? |
| contributed directly to the rapid development of | | | | I'm not sure Orangutans understand the |
| the Biofuels industry and marketplace. Also the | | | | economics and politics in their region of the world. |
| rise in the cost of crude oil to record levels by | | | | If they did then it is likely they would be putting |
| mid 2008 meant palm oil has become an | | | | pressure on the governments both locally and |
| increasingly important agricultural crop in tropical | | | | around the world to re-consider the plans they |
| countries with Malaysia and Indonesia seeing the | | | | have for what is still the largest tropical rainforest |
| opportunity for increased exploitation. These two | | | | in Asia. Perhaps the local agricultural ministers in |
| countries account now for around 85% of palm oil | | | | question should look at the mounting pressure |
| production across the world. This area of the | | | | from the West, look to their conscience and |
| world is also the natural habitat of Orang-utans | | | | re-evaluate all available information. Perhaps they |
| and the increased deforestation is now a threat | | | | would then realise that the long term survival of |
| to their very existence. | | | | the regions biodiversity is not only crucial for local |
| But why is Palm Oil so important? | | | | indigenous peoples but also our friendly |
| Quite simply oil palm is the most productive oil | | | | Orangutans and who knows perhaps the very |
| seed there is and it can produce over 10 times | | | | survival of our planet in the long term. |
| more crude oil per hectare than soybeans and | | | | |