Unsustainable Versus Sustainable Palm Oil: What Is the Difference?

By Emma Giles

Palm oil is commonly found in many food products. Due to its popularity, large quantities of palm oil are consumed around the world. Unfortunately, palm oil farming and plantations are detrimental for the planet. Between the deforestation required to pave way for the farms and the effluent byproducts produced, palm oil mills create pollution and accelerate climate change. Many animals are significantly affected by the habitat loss caused by the construction of new palm oil farms as well. Nevertheless, there are many ways to avoid unsustainable palm oil and show that you care, but it is important first to understand the extent of its impact and consequences of unsustainable use. 

Palm oil production and farming has a serious impact on the environment. For instance, clearing land for palm oil plantations is dangerous in that burning is often used to clear the forests required for farms. This burning not only emits carbon emissions, but it is also a form of deforestation, in that it can get out of control and easily lead to large forest fires. Since trees regulate the oxygen and carbon dioxide in the air, deforestation results in more carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere. Furthermore, palm oil mills produce effluent. Effluent is a form of liquid waste and sewage which often pollutes waterways. The combination of the carbon dioxide and effluent production causes large amounts of pollution. In these ways, the production of palm oil significantly escalates the climate crisis. 

Additionally, one of the most damaging effects of palm oil is the loss of habitat for animals– particularly orangutans. Indonesia and Malaysia are the only remaining homes to orangutans, yet these two countries also produce 85% of palm oil in the world. According to The Orangutan Project, in the last two decades, over 3.5 million hectares of Indonesian and Malaysian forests have been cut down to supply land for palm oil plantations. Due to such deforestation, there has been 80% habitat loss for orangutans, and many are now without homes. There are less than 80,000 orangutans in the wild today, and with 6,000 orangutan deaths every year, several sources suggest orangutans could go extinct in the next 10 years. 

Unsustainable versus sustainable, what is the difference?

The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) has come up with a set of seven principles that companies reporting sustainable palm oil production must adhere to in order to seal their RSPO certification. These principles include:

1. Behave ethically and transparently.

2. Operate legally and respect rights.

3. Optimize productivity, efficiency, positive impacts, and resilience.

4. Respect community and human rights and deliver benefits.

5. Support smallholder inclusion.

6. Respect workers’ rights and conditioning.

7. Protect, conserve and enhance ecosystems and the environment.

These principles ensure that brands are ethical and environmentally friendly throughout the palm oil production process. In 2018, the RSPO updated their guidelines to further extend the necessary requirements to become a sustainable palm oil brand. On the other hand, unsustainable brands are not required to comply with these rules and principles, as they are free to clear forests to make space for new plantations. While certified brands must adhere to the principles, there have been some unfortunate occasions in which a certified brand has still cleared a forest without guideline consideration, but for the most part the principles are widely followed.

Palm oil is a part of many food products. The impacts of unsustainable palm oil are serious. However, there are many things that individuals can do to abate further destruction of the natural world as a result of palm oil farming. For instance, you can adopt an orangutan from the World Wildlife Fund and research brands to determine if they use palm oil. A simple way to shop sustainably is to check the ingredients on food packaging. It is important to remember that if a food contains vegetable oil, it often includes palm oil. Furthermore, it is important to contact companies and encourage them to avoid the use of unsustainable palm oil. It may seem pointless, but companies need to know their customers care about environmental sustainability and are aware of the damages of unsustainable palm oil. The more people that contact big brands, the larger the positive impact. 

There is no doubt that palm oil production has a significantly negative impact on the planet. The farming contributes largely to pollution and climate change, animals are losing their habitats, and production of unsustainable palm oil is ever-growing. But so is the amount of brands switching to sustainable production. If consumers research their brands and articulate their concern to large companies, there is hope of reversing the palm oil’s detriments and setting the industry on the right track.

Art Illustration: Jo Fredericks

Orangutan Image: Markus Mauthe / GREENPEACE

RSPO Image: RSPO