WWF - Palm oil news

Nutella Switches to 100% Segregated Certified Sustainable Palm Oil in France

2013-04-18

The food group Ferrero has announced that its flagship product Nutella is now using 100% segregated palm oil certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) in the French market. This decision affects its production units in France, but also one in Italy and another in Germany, supplying other European markets. Ferrero also confirmed that it will source exclusively RSPO-certified palm oil globally starting from 2014, bringing its initial target forward by one year.

Les Echos (in French)

Shareholders Persuade Dunkin' Donuts and Starbucks to Commit to Certified Sustainable Palm Oil

2013-04-18

Two recent developments show the influence that informed shareholders and investors can have in helping to transform global commodity supply chains. Dunkin' Donuts has committed to source 100% Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certified palm oil. The move came after the New York State Comptroller filed a shareholder resolution asking Dunkin' Donuts to address the social and environmental concerns associated with palm oil.

Unfortunately Dunkin' Donuts has not actually committed to a date for its sourcing policy to go into effect, nor is it clear whether the policy will apply to overseas operations. For example, Dunkin' Donuts brand has a large presence in Indonesia where palm oil is widely used as cooking oil.

The move came shortly after Starbucks announced it would use only RSPO-certified palm oil by 2015 across its global operations, in response to a shareholder resolution filed by the Green Century Balanced Fund, an environmentally responsible mutual fund.

Mongabay, Sustainablebusiness.com, NPR

RSPO Disputes Aims of Rainforest Foundation Food Guide

2013-04-18

A Rainforest Foundation ethical food product guide based on companies' palm oil use unjustly discourages the use of palm oil even if it is sustainably sourced, claims the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). The Rainforest Foundation had previously published a guide that ranked chocolate products based on their palm oil use, with a top score available to companies that use no palm oil, as well as those that use 100% segregated RSPO-certified palm oil. Marks were not given to companies that use other RSPO-certified mechanisms.

According to the RSPO, there are some organizations/brands in the Rainforest Foundation listing that have received very low rankings despite the fact that they have made commitments and taken significant actions according to the RSPO mandate. The organization goes on to argue that supporting the sustainable production of palm oil is a more constructive approach than boycotting palm oil outright.

Food Navigator, RSPO

RAN Launches Palm Oil Campaign Targeting US Snack Companies

2013-04-18

The Rainforest Action Network (RAN) has launched a public campaign to put pressure on American food companies to ensure that they do not contribute to deforestation in Indonesia. The organization has sent letters to 20 snack food companies—makers of some of the most popular brand name products in America—alerting them to the rainforest destruction and orangutan extinction in their supply chains. RAN claims that palm oil is in half of all the products in neighbourhood grocery store shelves.

RAN is now urging the public to add their signature to a petition that calls on snack food companies to "protect Indonesia's rainforests and all of the people and wildlife who depend on them by cutting palm oil tied to rainforest destruction and social conflict out of their supply chains."

RAN

Meeting in the Middle: Looking at the Results of the RSPO Principles & Criteria Review

2013-04-18

By Adam Harrison, Palm Oil Lead, WWF-International

The Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) Principles & Criteria Taskforce recently finalized the review of the RSPO Principles and Criteria for Sustainable Palm Oil Production (P&Cs). The revised P&Cs were presented to and endorsed by the RSPO Executive Board in February, and will be voted on by the RSPO Ordinary Membership at an extraordinary General Assembly on April 25, 2013 in Kuala Lumpur.

(Check out here WWF's Statement and FAQ on the revised P&C)

Tough but balanced—this could sum up the process of bringing stakeholders from different backgrounds (but with a shared agenda) around the table to strengthen the RSPO Principles & Criteria. The result of more than a year of meetings, consultations and debates now lies in a 60-page document, agreed by consensus amongst all the participants in the RSPO Principles & Criteria Review Taskforce, which spells out what criteria RSPO certified members are required to comply with to demonstrate that they are operating more sustainably.

As the official representative for WWF on the Taskforce and as one of four nominated environmental NGO participants, my job was to push for the strongest possible environmental safeguards taking into account that several new issues have emerged over the 6 years since the original P&Cs were adopted.

For example, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions were only just emerging as an issue in 2005 and the science of how to address them was lacking. But now this is one of the most pressing challenges facing our planet today, and some of the palm oil industry has a better understanding of its crucial role in helping to address it. That's why in this review process, WWF pushed for much stronger requirements for GHG emission reductions in palm oil production—both for current and planned plantations; an outright ban on further planting oil palm on peat soils and stronger safeguards on how to manage existing plantations on peat, among many other things.

But the RSPO is a multi-stakeholder process and we are all, as members, committed to finding a consensus between our different viewpoints. So WWF did not achieve all its goals but there was some progress on a new criterion requiring all new developments to minimise their GHG emissions, and peat has been identified as a particular 'fragile soil' which must be avoided for new plantings.

Although significant clarifications and improvements to the P&Cs were achieved, we need to accept that the final outcome was a compromise. The fact is, the RSPO aims to transform the industry as a whole. The P&Cs therefore need to keep as many members on board as possible and while it should challenge them to improve their practices it will not transform the market if it becomes a niche standard that only a few companies can achieve.

Over my career I have negotiated with hill farmers in Nepal and Eurocrats in Brussels; with cattle farmers in Scotland, basket weavers in Namibia and now oil palm producers around the world. In each case I have been trying to find a sustainable solution to whatever problem has been facing those parties

Many times it felt like trying to push a boulder up the hill—every step has been painful and slow and there seems to have been as much falling back as there has been progress. Sometimes they haven't even believed that there is an issue to address. But in other cases, reaching an agreement has been easy.

I've been involved in the RSPO since 2006. One of the things that has struck me is that even through the toughest arguments and stormiest meetings, at the end of the day almost all the members have stayed in the room and eventually found a compromise that they can live with. That we managed to do this again with the review of the P&Cs is testament to the trust and respect that the RSPO has built up over the years

The outcome isn't perfect and it's some way from the ideal that we wanted—but the new version of the P&Cs is better than the previous one. It better describes how a responsible grower should be producing palm oil and it gives them the tools to demonstrate that they are doing it.

But its weaknesses mean that responsible growers will have to act more transparently and go further than the P&Cs alone require. It also means that the rest of the palm oil industry—the investors, traders, buyers and users of palm oil—will have to reward those that do act responsibly and avoid doing business with those that don't.

What are the outcomes of the review from WWF's perspective?

WWF asked for mandatory public reporting of GHG emissions from existing plantations and new developments. The Taskforce did reach consensus on the need for growers to use the tool that the RSPO has been developing to estimate and report these emissions. This tool, called Palm GHG, is a life-cycle analysis of the major sources of emissions from the plantation (including land use change and land use, fertiliser and energy use) and mills (waste ponds). The use of this tool (or an RSPO-approved alternative that uses the same defaults and calculations) means that all RSPO growers will be reporting to the same standard and using the same default figures, bringing greater transparency and comparability to certified growers.

However, the Taskforce compromised on a requirement stipulating that the growers only need to report to the RSPO until the end of 2016, after which public reporting will be mandatory. Although disappointing, at least the principle of measuring and reporting emissions is established—and it will now be for the market to encourage responsible growers to publish these figures.

WWF also pushed for a complete ban on any palm oil planting on peat soils. This was hotly contested by some of the growers in the room who were unwilling to accept the arguments that planting on peat neither makes sense in terms of oil palm agronomy and yields or in terms of potential climate impacts. However there was some movement and compromise in a number of areas that make it clearer that such planting is not acceptable.

Peat soils are now included in the wording of the criterion which states that: "Extensive planting on ... peat, is avoided". At the same time, once peat soils are identified then the limited plantings allowed can only be done "without incurring adverse impacts". So again it is for all of the palm oil supply chain to now make it clear that new plantings on peat are unacceptable and that the actions of growers will be scrutinised. They can do that by requiring no peat conversion in their sourcing policies, by communicating this to their suppliers and by using the RSPO reports and websites to better understand the commitments and actions of growers.

WWF also asked for a new criterion to ensure that Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFB) are sourced with due diligence and that millers should ensure that FFB is not being sourced from illegally occupied areas such as National Parks. The Taskforce agreed in principle that this is an issue that the RSPO needs to resolve but felt that suitable tools were not yet available to require full due diligence at this stage.

While this is disappointing, the Taskforce did agree to add a new indicator requiring mills to record the origin of FFB bought at the mill gate and endeavour to trace it back to its actual origin. The Taskforce also asked the RSPO and its Executive Board to ensure that this issue is fully resolved in the future. WWF sees this as a first important step and an acknowledgment that this issue is one of the biggest risks facing the palm oil industry.

In the end, some of the most significant additions to the P&Cs that WWF welcomes include:

a new criterion that requires growers to minimize GHG emissions from new plantings
a new criterion on ethical business practices which requires companies to have and implement policies that counter corruption
a new criterion requiring that a policy on human rights is in place and communicated to the whole company
a new criterion banning the use of forced labour

There have also been numerous changes to existing criteria, indicators and guidance to update the effectiveness of the P&Cs and their relevance to the sustainability challenges facing oil palm cultivation.

What needs to happen next?

While they are not perfect, the new P&Cs do set out a comprehensive framework within which there is space for growers to demonstrate that they are acting responsibly to address the major sustainability impacts of palm oil production.

The vision of the RSPO is to transform the whole palm oil industry to one that is sustainable. The current P&Cs are a pragmatic step forward and have broad support by all member categories. However the P&Cs will only be able to transform the industry if they are implemented robustly. For this to happen the RSPO needs to police them and the wider membership also need to play their part.

Not only do the growers need to adhere to the P&Cs and set themselves challenging performance targets within them, but palm oil buyers need to demand CSPO from growers that have set themselves such challenging standards.

But before that can happen, the Ordinary Members of the RSPO need to endorse the new P&Cs on 25th April. If you are a member of the RSPO with the right to vote please make sure that you are registered to do so and that you are able to attend or nominate a proxy to vote on your behalf.

WWF will vote to endorse the revised P&Cs and recommends that others do as well. The RSPO is on a journey to transform the global oil palm industry and this revision of the standard is one step on that journey.

RSPO Approved as ISEAL Member

2013-02-04

The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) has been approved as an associate member of ISEAL, the global association for sustainability standards. Associate membership reflects a commitment to credibility and facilitates the transition to full membership, where compliance is demonstrated with ISEAL's internationally recognized Codes of Good Practice in standard-setting and impacts. Full compliance with the Impacts Code is required within 2 years of being approved as an associate member.

The RSPO joins associate members from the water, tourism and sugarcane sectors as organisations whose systems meet ISEAL's entry level criteria in terms of scope, governance and practices. ISEAL supports associate members through this process to join the Forest Stewardship Council, Fairtrade International and the Marine Stewardship Council.

"As market demand for food, fibre and fuel increases in the coming decades, so will the impact on our planet's natural resources. Credible standards and certification systems help to meaningfully reduce impact from commodity production and support the transformation of entire sectors, which is an important element of WWF's conservation strategy," said Andrew Murphy, WWF's Acting Market Transformation Initiative Director. "WWF works with leading global certification systems to ensure continuous improvement. Full ISEAL membership is one of WWF's minimum requirements for certification systems."

Secretary General of RSPO, Darrel Webber, commented, "We are very pleased to join the fray of ISEAL as the RSPO continuously seeks to enhance the robustness of our operating philosophy as an international multi-stakeholder initiative dedicated the highest standards of sustainability. We look forward to generating insights and strategies from our alliance with ISEAL in order to be benchmarked against latest innovations and best practices to ultimately achieve our vision of transforming markets to make sustainable palm oil a norm."

ISEAL Alliance

UK Commitment for Sustainable Palm Oil Falls Short of Expectations

2013-02-04

The UK government and a group of UK businesses have pledged to phase out the use of unsustainable palm oil by 2015, while critics claim that this commitment lacks strength.

While WWF has signed to the pledge and has acknowledged that the move is significant, it argues that this action needs to go further given the urgency related to the impact of irresponsible palm oil production on natural habitats. Along with the British Retail Consortium (BRC), WWF has warned that the statement may be too weak to drive a significant change in the palm oil supply chain.

According to the BRC, many of its members have already made commitments that are more ambitious than the UK government's pledge, with some supermarkets such as The Cooperative, Waitrose, M&S and Sainsbury's already at, or very close to, using 100% Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO)-certified palm oil ahead of the 2015 deadline.

Another limitation of the commitment is that it does not oblige signatories to adhere to the exact standards set by the RSPO. Meanwhile, some signatories have actually refused to agree to a firm 2015 target date for phasing out unsustainable palm oil.

Adam Harrison of WWF International warned that the statement did not go far enough. "The urgency of the problem needs an equally urgent response," he said. "Whilst we welcome the National Statement as significant, it does not convey clearly enough the need to take action now. The whole UK palm oil industry from traders and processors through to manufacturers needs to match the best actions taken by individual businesses that have already committed to using 100% RSPO-certified palm oil and which are, it many cases, well on the way to achieving this commitment ahead of time."

WWF said it would like to see all sectors, and individual companies within each sector, make public commitments to source 100% certified sustainable palm oil by 2015 and, more importantly, to start buying RSPO certified palm oil immediately.

According to Eurostat, the UK imported 397,000 metric tonnes of palm oil and 53,000 metric tonnes of palm kernel oil in 2011. However, Defra (the UK's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) estimates that only 24% of this was sourced from sustainably certified plantations.

UK Food and Drink Federation, Business Green, The Guardian, WWF-UK

Cameroon biodiversity hotspot in grave danger as palm oil conglomerate quits sustainability group

2012-09-05

Yaounde, Cameroon: Sustainable palm oil development and a key biodiversity hotspot in Cameroon are under increased threat as the developer of a controversial 70,000 hectare palm oil plantation quits the key organization setting environmental and social sustainability standards in the global industry, WWF warned today.

WWF was one of a number of complainants to the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) that US-based Herakles Farms had not adequately followed RSPO guidelines on new plantings designed to protect high conservation value forest and community interests. The RSPO had asked Herakles to suspend clearing while discussions concluded on the outstanding issues with WWF-Cameroon and the other 7 complainants.

Herakles' decision to quit RSPO – announced yesterday by the RSPO – means that the 70,000 hectare plantation proposal for areas of high conservation value forest surrounded by national parks and forest reserves is no longer subject to the restraints and protections offered by the only globally agreed standard for the sustainable production of palm oil that is independently monitored and supported by global markets.

WWF and the other complainants had been seeking for Herakles to carry out an adequate High Conservation Value Assessment of the entire 70,000 hectare concession area before development started, as well as asking the company to address other issues including ensuring the respect for land tenure rights, the implementation of the free, prior and informed consent process and transparent communications with stakeholders.

"This is a very sad day for Cameroon," said BasileYapo, Country Director of WWF Cameroon.

"WWF believes that sustainable palm oil can be a reality in Cameroon but only if it is produced by responsible companies according to RSPO principles and criteria, supported by sustainable land use policies and involving local communities.

"It is clear that the Herakles project will likely fall short of these standards. Given the rapid pace and scale of palm oil development in West Africa, it is critically important that the governments in the region put in place vital safeguards to insure that these projects are sustainable," he added.

WWF is calling on investors to steer clear of any palm oil development by irresponsible companies in Cameroon and other frontier regions.

"Forests in the green heart of Africa are vulnerable targets for expansion, as palm oil companies look beyond Indonesia and Malaysia for new land to expand palm oil production," said Adam Harrison, WWF International's representative on the RSPO Executive Board.

"WWF calls on investors to support only RSPO members who actively adhere to RSPO principles. Investors should also encourage development on degraded land in order to avoid further negative impacts by the palm oil business on forests, species and people."

Sustainable palm cooking oil goes on sale to Indonesian consumers

2012-07-20

Jakarta – Indonesian consumers, residents of the world's largest palm oil producing nation and second biggest consuming market, can now buy sustainable palm oil for themselves.

WWF has welcomed the introduction this week by global retailing giant Carrefour of "Ecoplanet Cooking Oil", as it is the first consumer product to be labeled with the trademark of the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) in Indonesia.

Indonesia is the world's second largest consumer of palm oil after India, with consumption of 7.2 million tonnes annually, with cooking oil accounting for around 80% of the total. Indonesia overtook Malaysia as the world's largest palm oil producer in 2007, and produced over 25 million tonnes in 2011.

Concern that rocketing palm oil plantation establishment was pushing up deforestation rates, threatening tiger, elephant and orangutan habitat, displacing forest communities and contributing to massive greenhouse gas emissions through the exploitation of peat soils in the region led WWF and other partners to form the RSPO in 2005. A multi-stakeholder initiative devoted to transforming the palm oil business to one that is sustainable, the RSPO has developed a set of strict environmental and social standards that ensure that palm oil can be produced without harming people or the planet.

Sustainable Palm Oil Production

RSPO certified palm oil has made major inroads into European and American markets, but it is only now that it is available directly to Indonesia's over 250 million consumers. The oil will be available in 84 Carrefour stores covering Java, Bali, Sumatra, Kalimantan and Sulawesi.

"With palm oil playing such a central role to both the economy of Indonesia and also the daily lives of its people, it is doubly exciting that cooking oil produced according to internationally recognized sustainability standards is now available here," said Irwan Gunawan, WWF Indonesia's Deputy Director of Market Transformation. "Now Indonesian consumers are empowered to make a daily choice at the market that contributes to sustainable development in their own country."

All of the EcoPlanet oil has been produced on a plantation certified according to RSPO guidelines by the Musim Mas company in Riau, Sumatra. In order to achieve its certificate, the company demonstrated that it had adhered to RSPO defined standards for responsible plantation management, which require, for example, that high conservation value areas are mapped and managed, use of pesticides is reduced, and smallholders, workers and communities are respected. Not only has the fruit that bears the palm oil been grown in a sustainable way, but all the companies along the palm oil supply chain have also been certified, guaranteeing that the sustainable oil has not been mixed with conventional oil along the journey from plantation to supermarket shelf.

This product launch by Carrefour is one step in a global effort. The retail giant made a global commitment to source 100% RSPO oil by 2015, and since 2010 has been buying certificates that support the growth of sustainable palm oil to cover all the products it sells in France. "With the launch of this product, Carrefour is ultimately showcasing its commitment to its consumers who are increasingly becoming more discerning and ethical in their choices, " said Adji Srihandoyo, Corporate Affairs Director, PT Carrefour Indonesia. "The product is good for the future of palm oil industry, good for the future of Indonesia, and good for the people as it is offered at an affordable price."

Carrefour's commitment to the development of sustainable palm oil in Indonesia extends to its support of smallholders, which produce approximately 40% of the country's output of palm oil. The Carrefour

Foundation recently launched a project in Riau, Sumatra that aims to help 250 small farmers to become the first RSPO certified smallholder collective.

WWF-Indonesia, which has been committed to transforming the palm oil industry in Indonesia for over a decade, hopes this sends an encouraging signal to big producers and smallholders alike.

"WWF hopes this commitment can inspire other manufacturers and retailers in Indonesia to commit to sustainable palm oil," said Gunawan. "It also sends a powerful signal to the country's palm oil growers that there is a burgeoning market for sustainable palm oil in Indonesia as well as abroad."

For further information:
Carrie Svingen, Manager, Markets and Communications, Palm Oil and Soy +62 361 730185 csvingen@wwf.panda.org

About WWF
WWF is one of the world's largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with over 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries. WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of the earth's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world's biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

panda.org/news for latest news and media resources

Poor environmental performance seen as risk in palm oil investment

2012-04-29

Singapore - Environmental and social impacts of palm oil plantations could pose a material risk to investment in the fast growing sector, according to an investor survey released by WWF to a recent high-level meeting of investors and producers.

WWF's first-of-its-kind Palm Oil Investor Review 2012 underlines how growing concern over deforestation, biodiversity loss and community conflict could impact the industry and shows the intensifying spotlight being placed by investors on the sustainability of the palm oil industry.

More than 50 million tonnes of palm oil are used worldwide each year in everyday products including food and cosmetics. From 2010 to 2020, this volume is projected to increase by over 65%. The growing demand for palm oil has resulted in rapid and poorly managed expansion of production, causing deforestation, species loss, greenhouse gas emissions and social conflicts with local communities.

"Investors are increasingly aware of the strong link between sustainability and long term investment success," said WWF's Jeanne Stampe, co-author of the report. "Investee companies that integrate sustainability into the core strategy and operations are better able to mitigate risks and exploit opportunities, thereby deriving business benefits and delivering better investment performance."

WWF surveyed 35 key palm oil sector investors to assess their views and management of the sustainability challenges inherent in the palm oil industry.

Nearly two thirds of the investors surveyed are experiencing increasing demand for Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) screens from their institutional clients and this is magnifying their focus on ESG issues. Even passive investors such as index funds are starting to show interest in new ESG overlays.

While a larger majority of investors (69%) already apply a responsible investment policy, many of these policies do not extend beyond governance, however over 50% of investors would consider creating dedicated policies e.g. a broader sustainable land-use policy.

Investors do face internal organizational constraints in addressing ESG risks such as the lack of internal ESG capabilities or firm-wide access to internal ESG analysts, but several are actively looking at internal strategic options to address these constraints, for example formulating centralised ESG risk functions and boosting internal ESG analyst teams.

"The palm oil sector presents an attractive growth proposition for investors, but ESG issues and the lack of company disclosure still cloud the ability of many to invest," said Stampe.

According to investors, reputational risk, poor environmental performance and lack of company ESG disclosure pose the greatest challenges to greater investment into the sector and the key factors to overcome these are availability of key data, the strengthening of the RSPO, demonstrable progress by its members toward certification and legislative changes that support the RSPO.

Investors see the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) as the most influential initiative and the de facto standard for investment screens, but want it to cover more issues such as corruption and have "more teeth", to ensure that members make and meet their commitments towards sustainable palm oil.

WWF support

WWF sees the financial sector as an important driver of sustainable palm oil production and trade. "Investors are uniquely placed to influence investee companies to adopt sustainable practices through active engagement and exercise of proxy voting rights, and through directing their investment capital towards sustainable palm oil producers," said Stampe.

The report provides in-depth recommendations to assist investors to overcome some of these challenges so as to maximise their ability to guide the industry. WWF will continue to support the financial sector by providing information and guidance through tools, research updates, and workshops with finance sector partners.

"If we all – investors, the RSPO and stakeholders such as WWF – work together, we can ensure that the palm oil industry expands in a sustainable way, so that long-term investment returns are enhanced and emerging economies benefit from sustainable development." said Jeanne Stampe.

For further information:

Chris Chaplin - Media Officer Asia Pacific, WWF International,
+86 10 6511 6272, Mobile: +86 13911747472, cchaplin@wwf.sg

WWF calls for legal action in Indonesia forest clearing

2012-04-25

Banda Aceh – WWF is calling on Indonesia's Ministry of Environment and police to investigate and take strict legal action against the perpetrator of the recent clearing of land known to house around 200 critically endangered orangutan in Aceh's Tripa peat swamp.

Initial findings from the task force investigting the violations indicate several laws have been broken by the land owner, including the use of fires to clear land, clearing peat land deeper than 3 meters, and conducting land-clearing activities prior to the issuance of a permit.¹

"The area is home to about 200 critically endangered Sumatran orangutan. WWF is calling for a follow-up investigation and legal action to prevent further clearing and stop incidents like this from reoccurring in the future," said Dede Suhendra, WWF-Indonesia's Program Leader in Aceh. "WWF-Indonesia is prepared to help the Government further investigate the case," Dede added.

"WWF urges all oil palm companies operating in the Tripa area to implement best management practices on sustainable oil palm plantations to protect this very important peat swamp," Dede continued. "WWF Indonesia also calls on central and regional governments to halt new permits for oil palm plantations and conduct strict assessments to identify high conservation value forest and the presence of endangered species."

The Tripa peat swamp forest area is located in southwest Aceh Province. It is a primary habitat for Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii) and Sumatran tigers (Panthera tigris sumatrae). Massive land clearing for oil palm plantations since the 1990s has significantly decreased the orangutan population in the area.

Data on the Leuser Ecosystem collected by the Save Tripa Swamp Coallition, shows that the area consists of close to 62,000 hectares of peat swamp forest owned by five palm oil companies. Around 35,000 hectares of this have been cleared following the rapid expansion of palm plantations since the signing of Aceh's peace aggreement in 2005.

A recent investigation by the International non-profit organization PanEco, which specializes in nature conservation in Indonesia and Switzerland, reveals that over 1,000 hectares of land - the rough equivalent of 2000 soccer fields - was cleared for palm oil plantations between March 21 - 25th 2012, with a disastrous impact on the estimated 200 Sumatran orangutan living in the area.
_______

^{1 Violations include: Law No. 18 Year 2004 on Plantation; Law No. 32 Year 2009 on Environmental Protection and Management; and Law No. 26 Year 2007 on Spatial Planning juncto Presidential Decree No. 32 Year 1990 on Protected Areas.}

For more information contact:

Dede Suhendra, Project Leader WWF-Aceh, dsuhendra@wwf.or.id, +62 816343801

Sustainable palm oil is good for business – study

2012-04-02

Protecting the environment by producing certified sustainable palm oil is also good for the bottom line, according to a groundbreaking new report released jointly today.

Profitably and Sustainability in Palm Oil Production is a first-time study that comprehensively examines the financial costs and benefits of producing sustainable palm oil under the guidelines set out by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). The report was produced jointly by WWF, CDC, the UK's development finance institution, and the FMO, the Dutch development bank.

The report finds that economic benefits outweigh the financial costs of pursuing sustainable palm oil operations.

"Our research found that many firms who switched to producing sustainable palm oil – which is good for people and the environment – reaped significant return on their investments," said WWF's Joshua Levin, the report's lead author. "In some cases, switching to sustainable production was economically transformative for the business. Producers, buyers, and investors should see sustainable palm oil as a serious business opportunity."

The growing demand for palm oil is adding to the already severe pressure on remaining rainforest areas of the world, and is threatening the survival of species such as the orang-utan, the Sumatran tiger, rhino and elephant. Forest loss and the draining of peatlands for palm oil plantations is also contributing to climate change and displacing local people who rely on the forest for food and shelter.

The report shows that the business benefits gained from achieving RSPO certification "typically outweigh the costs of implementation—in many cases significantly—yet often through unexpected and indirect channels."

For example, while many firms were initially attracted to RSPO for the price premiums commanded by certified sustainable palm oil, the larger financial gain often turned out to be resulting improvements in operations, documentation systems, labor relations, and other internal factors. In fact, each major category of benefits was, in and of itself, capable of outweighing RSPO implementation costs, according to the report.

The report's research shows that adopting sustainable practices, even in a high impact industry like palm oil, can result in net financial benefits to producers—providing gains for people, the planet and the bottom line.

WWF engaged with other NGOs and the palm oil industry to launch the RSPO in 2003. Since then, WWF has worked to ensure that the RSPO standards contain robust social and environmental criteria, including a prohibition on the conversion of valuable forests. Certified Sustainable Palm Oil has been available since November 2008 and now makes up more than 10 percent of the global palm oil market. It provides assurance that valuable tropical forests have not been cleared and that environmental and social safeguards have been met during the production of the palm oil.

"This study shows that getting RSPO certified makes good business sense as well as good environmental and social sense for growers. WWF hopes that the findings will persuade all producers to join the RSPO and to start getting certified." added Adam Harrison, WWF's representative on the Executive Board of the RSPO. "But the responsibility for making the industry sustainable also lies with those companies that buy and use palm oil. WWF urges them to immediately commit to increase purchases of certified sustainable palm oil and to ensure that 100% of their palm oil use is certified by 2015."

Palm oil industry shifts gears, commits to market transformation

2011-11-24

Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia – The 9th annual Meeting of the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) concluded today with a vote at the General Assembly (GA) where most RSPO members present supported a new vision for the organization – to transform the palm industry into one where sustainability becomes an everyday practice for all.

To date RSPO members have produced over 5.2 milion tonnes of palm oil certified to strict standards that help ensure that forests, species and communities are not harmed by palm oil production.

"The entire value chain needs to be part of the solution and not the problem," said Adam Harrison, Senior Policy Officer for WWF UK and WWF's representative on the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) Executive Board. "The RSPO has moved from just certifying growers to transforming the whole industry, which says to me that the organization is growing up and is starting to deliver on the ambition it set for itself. Nevertheless, in order for the RSPO to deliver on this transformation, companies along the entire value chain need to be more transparent and take control of the oil palm they are producing, trading, using and selling."

More transparency, better traceability

According to WWF, one of the major hurdles facing the future of CSPO is the industry's overall lack transparency and limited efforts to implement proper traceability. The WWF's Palm Oil Buyers' Scorecard 2011, which was released in Kota Kinabalu on Tuesday, identified both of these as major challenges, saying that the lack of collective will to solve these problems is risks becoming a major disincentive to further certification.

WWF says that buyers of CSPO need to take control of their supply chains and declare how much certified sustainable palm oil they are using. This would provide growers with the reassurance they need to say in business, and show consumers that they are serious about their commitments and acting responsibly.

Transforming the market also requires strong support from traders, who wield considerable influence. Traders must ensure the traceability of the palm oil they are buying and supplying to their customers, which could act as a major catalyst for future market growth and offer the assurances currently lacking along the supply chain.

Meanwhile, growers would benefit from increased transparency and better traceability by gaining a stronger sense confidence, more control over their management units, and an overall increase of returns on their commitment to providing certified sustainable palm oil.

Palm oil industry shows resolve in addressing climate change

Another key recommendation that emerged at the 3-day meet was that the RSPO's Principals & Criteria should include a 0 net carbon emission clause, setting a new benchmark for companies that aim to produce palm oil in a responsible manner.  

"Reducing greenhouse gases is a huge challenge facing the industry in the region, and it is a very welcome sign that the RSPO has reached consensus on how to tackle GHGs and made a recommendation to change the organization's standards to accommodate this critical issue," said Irwan Gunawan, WWF Indonesia's Corporate Engagement Manager.

***

Update: The RSPO has announced that due to insufficient quorum, eligible members that could not attend the General Assembly are expected to cast their ballots via email:

On November 24th 2011, the 8th General Assembly for the RSPO Members was held at Sutera Harbour, Kota Kinabalu. Due to the insufficient quorum (50% of the total Ordinary Membership required: 549 in total), the 224 attending members voted that the following procedure be adopted:

    1.           I.          A balloting/voting process by the attending members of all the resolutions proposed
    2.         II.          Thereafter, an email will be circulated to all eligible members who could not attend the General assembly, to cast their ballot on the individual resolutions.
    3.        III.          All votes received via email will be reconciled with those that were cast during the GA8 and all members will be informed on the final results which will also be published on the website.

No specific timeline was given for the results of the final vote.

For more information, please visit http://www.rspo.org/?q=content/announcement-8th-general-assembly-24th-november-2011

No more excuses – leading companies in WWF Scorecard show sustainable palm oil sourcing is possible now

2011-11-22

Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia – Companies in Europe, Australia and Japan are buying more certified sustainable palm oil than ever before, but urgent action is still needed to avoid the irreversible loss of tropical forests, according to WWF's latest assessment of the industry that buys palm oil.

"It's never been easier for companies to be responsible about the palm oil they use," said Adam Harrison, Senior Policy Officer for WWF UK and WWF's representative on the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) Executive Board. "There are options available for almost any company to buy certified sustainable palm oil. Yet the WWF Palm Oil Buyers' Scorecard shows that only half of the palm oil used by the companies we assessed is sustainable. So it is clear that some manufacturers and retailers have fallen behind on their commitments to 100 per cent sustainable palm oil, while others haven't even started at all."

WWF's Palm Oil Buyers' Scorecard 2011 - an update of the first scorecard published two years ago - measures over 130 major retailers and consumer goods manufacturers by looking at their commitment to, and use of, palm oil certified to the internationally recognised standards of the RSPO.

Of the companies scored, WWF believes that many are making commendable progress to increase their use of sustainable palm oil and to reduce their impact on deforestation. Most of the companies scored in both 2009 and 2011 have taken some strides forward, showing how the use of sustainable palm oil is slowly becoming more mainstream.

Released at the 9th Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, the Scorecard, which assesses both RSPO members and non members, also shows that 87 of the 132 companies (i.e. 66 per cent) surveyed have committed to sourcing 100 per cent RSPO-certified palm oil by 2015 or earlier, an encouraging sign that could spur further market development.

However, nearly half of the retailers and more than a fifth of manufacturers scored very poorly on taking responsibility for the impacts of their palm oil sourcing.

"The leading companies in the Scorecard demonstrate that it is possible to source certified sustainable palm oil to cover most or all of their palm oil usage, so there are no excuses for all companies not to take action now," says Harrison. "But 2015 is just around the corner -- all companies, even some of the top performers, need to move faster. Only then can we ensure that the momentum gained by the RSPO is not lost and avoid the negative impacts of irresponsible oil palm plantations on forests, wildlife and communities."

Leading companies, large and small, show the way
The Scorecard shows that it is possible for companies to make a strong commitment to the RSPO and sustainable palm oil - no matter how much palm oil they use. Even companies dealing in very large volumes of palm oil, such as Nestlé and Unilever, which each scored eight out of a possible nine points, demonstrate they can act responsibly.

Other major companies handling smaller but still substantial volumes of certified sustainable palm oil, namely IKEA, Royal FrieslandCampina and United Biscuits, scored well with eight or more points.

Of the companies sourcing mid-range volumes of palm oil, manufacturers like Burton's, Cadbury, Premier and Remia and retailers such as ASDA, Carrefour, Morrisons, Sainsbury's and Tesco have also done well.

Smaller operators, such as the manufacturers Allied Bakeries, Brioche Pasquier Cerqueux, Findus, Ginsters, Göteborgs Kex, Harry's, Henkel, H J Heinz, Karl Fazer, Nutrition et Santé, Oriflame Cosmetics, Santa Maria, and St Hubert, and the retailers Coop Switzerland, Marks & Spencer, Migros, Royal Ahold and their subsidiary ICA, The Co-operative Group UK and Waitrose, as well as manufacturers using comparatively minor amounts of palm oil such as Cloetta, Devineau / Bougies La Française, DSM Nutritional Products, Iglo Group, Iwata Chemical, L'Oréal, Saraya, The Jordans and Ryvita Company, Warburtons, and Yves Rocher, as well as retailers Axfood, the Body Shop and the Boots Group, have also scored above 8 points out of 9.

(see http://bit.ly/vwyuOF for a breakdown of company performance according to size of palm oil volumes used)

Very disappointingly, 17 of the 43 retailers and 15 of the 89 manufacturers assessed scored at three or below, showing that still too many companies are taking little or no responsibility for the negative impact of their palm oil use on forests, species and people.

Progress is still too slow
The supply of certified sustainable palm has grown dramatically since WWF released its first Scorecard in 2009, and now stands at 5 million tonnes (10 per cent of global palm oil production). Encouraging as this is, only about half of all the sustainable palm oil produced is being sold. This mirrors the situation in 2009, which is why WWF is renewing its call to companies to take their responsibilities far more seriously and far more urgently.

Lack of transparency hampers progress
Most worrying is an overall lack of transparency about the amount of palm oil that companies use, which WWF believes is a major disincentive to growers of sustainable palm oil to move ahead with further certification. While WWF asked companies to share the amount of palm oil they use, as well as how much of that oil is certified as sustainable, most companies were only willing to disclose a range of usage and too many companies provided no data at all.

"WWF wants far more openness in this industry. Unless there is greater transparency, oil palm growers will remain unwilling to commit to certification," said Harrison. "If we want growers to act responsibly, buyers of palm oil need to show what their future demand for certified sustainable palm oil is going to be."

WWF welcomes McDonald's commitment to sustainable palm oil

2011-10-21

WWF welcomes the announcement by McDonald's Corporation that it has joined the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) as part of its commitment to use more certified sustainable foods.

"This is a really significant move by McDonald's, in particular because it will help shift the Asian market – the world's largest consumer of palm oil - towards more use of certified sustainable palm oil," said Dave McLaughlin, head of Agriculture at the World Wildlife Fund in Washington D.C.

"To really make a difference in the long-run, more companies need to follow McDonald's example, and make sure they're thinking about how to make the switch to certified sustainable palm oil."

"Making the switch to certified sustainable palm oil means switching to a sourcing policy that protects people and nature."

McDonald's announced Wednesday (Oct. 19) that it had joined the roundtable as part of its commitment to source palm oil only from RSPO member companies by the end of 2011 for use in its food products, and to only use palm oil certified by the RSPO in its restaurants and pre-cooked chicken and potato products by 2015.

McDonald's mainly uses palm oil in its restaurant in Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and in Latin America as frying oil and as a par-fry for pre-cooking products such as french fries, chicken patties, and Chicken McNuggets, according to its statement.

According to WWF, a global market shift toward more sustainable palm oil that truly helps to stem forest loss cannot happen until influential companies in China and India move toward sustainability. The Chinese and Indian palm oil markets account for 31 percent of total global consumption of palm oil.

WWF worked with other NGOs and the palm oil industry to set up the RSPO in 2003. Certified Sustainable Palm Oil has been available since November 2008 and provides assurances that valuable tropical forests have not been cleared and that environmental and social safeguards have been met during the production of the palm oil.

Sustainable palm oil milestone reached ahead of major WWF evaluation

2011-08-31

The world's largest sustainable palm oil body reached a major milestone last week in its on-going efforts to halt deforestation and bring sustainable palm oil to market – the millionth hectare of plantations has just been certified, an area roughly equivalent in size to the nation of Jamaica.

The result comes as WWF prepares its second instalment of the WWF Palm Oil Buyers' Scorecard, which tracks the progress of major brands on their commitments and actions on buying and using sustainable palm.

Plantations owned by Brazil-based Agropalma, a leading producer of palm oil in South America, recently achieved certification against the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) standard, pushing the area of certified palm oil plantations past the 1 million hectare mark. That's equal to about 1.5 million football pitches and is more than 6,000 times the size of Greater London.

The Agropalma certification brings the volume of RSPO certified sustainable palm oil close to 5 million tonnes, which represents around10% of the world's total palm oil production.

WWF worked with a group of NGOs and the palm oil industry to set up the RSPO in 2003. Certified sustainable palm oil has been available since November 2008, and provides assurance that valuable tropical forests have not been cleared and that environmental and social safeguards have been met during the production of the palm oil.

The companies that own certified plantations have also agreed to avoid converting valuable forests when expanding their growing areas and have committed to time-bound plans for having all their estates certified.

"Passing the 1 million hectares mark is a crucial milestone for the growers. But sadly, half of all sustainable palm oil they produce is still not being bought by palm oil users, meaning there's a lot of work to be done by retailers and manufacturers to match the efforts of those growers," said Adam Harrison, Senior Policy Officer for WWF. "It is imperative that all the commitments we have seen from retailers and brands recently are now translated into immediate action, so that producers have an incentive to stay with the certification programme."

"Despite good progress from those growers that have been certified there are still many RSPO growers that are dragging their heels on the certification process. A stronger signal is needed from the market so that we can get these producers on the path toward sustainability," Harrison said.

To help balance the supply and demand for sustainable palm oil WWF will issue the second instalment of the WWF Palm Oil Buyers' Scorecard in November 2011. The first Scorecard, issued in 2009 has been credited with boosting the market for certified sustainable palm oil.

"The timing is right for WWF to make a new assessment of buyer progress. There have been many encouraging commitments from major retailers and brands since 2009, so this is an opportunity to see what's really been accomplished. The scorecard will recognize leading companies and also highlight where more progress is needed," Harrison added.

Indonesian decree to halt primary forest loss

2011-05-23

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has signed a presidential decree that bans logging of 64 million hectares of carbon-rich primary forests and peatlands and suspends the granting of new permits for clearing these lands for two years.

The moratorium signed late last week, which goes into effect immediately, is part of an agreement worth US$1 billion between Indonesia and Norway aimed at reducing the country's greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and forest degradation. Indonesia has vowed to cut its emissions by 26 percent from business-as-usual levels by 2020, or by 41 percent with sufficient international support.

"WWF recognizes the two-year ban on logging and clearing of primary forests and peatlands as a foundation for Indonesia's ambitious shift towards a low carbon economy," said Dr. Efransjah, CEO of WWF-Indonesia.

President Yudhoyono announced plans to reduce forest loss by moving economic development practices, such as pulp and palm oil plantations, onto degraded lands at the Business for the Environment Global Summit in April of this year. "The government can now shift its focus to the bolder steps necessary to protect high carbon stocks found in secondary forests, as well as their biodiversity and cultural values."

According to a WWF analysis, the moratorium will extend protection to only an additional 14 per cent of primary forests, as the majority of Indonesia's primary forests are already protected by law. The potential emissions reductions from land use, land-use change and forestry could be far greater under this decree if the moratorium was extended beyond primary forests to include secondary forests as well, said WWF.

"Because concessions can continue being awarded in secondary forests, the moratorium's impact will be limited as it will reduce deforestation and cut carbon emissions by only about 4 percent," said Nazir Foead, Director of WWF-Indonesia. "There is clearly much more that must be done if Indonesia is to achieve its ambitious emissions reduction targets."

Still, the moratorium could be an opportunity to help put in place effective forest governance and sound ecosystem-based spatial planning, particularly in settling overlapping land-uses. WWF is calling on Ministries and other government agencies to use the two-year period of the moratorium to review and improve governance on issuing licenses to industrial timber plantations, agro-industrial plantations and mining in secondary forests and other land uses. Strengthening the analysis of ecological and cultural values in these forests could contribute to this, said WWF.

"We must absolutely make the most of these two years to strengthen this commitment from Indonesia, so that it indeed catalyses the international community to address deforestation," said Rasmus Hansson, CEO of WWF Norway and chair of WWF's global Forest and Climate Initiative. "The Norwegian government and other donor countries must step forward and support Indonesia's efforts to advance the conservation, sustainable management and enhancement of these globally significant forests."

Governments, business must unite in joint action to stop forest loss

2011-04-27

Policymakers and business leaders must quickly back a bold target to stop forest loss as part of efforts to conserve biodiversity and fight climate change, according to a new WWF report.

The first chapter of WWF's Living Forests Report, released today, examines the drivers of deforestation and identifies the opportunities to shift from business as usual to a new model of sustainability, which can benefit government, business and communities.

Based on a new global analysis showing that more than 230 million hectares of forest will disappear by 2050 if no action is taken, the report proposes that policymakers and businesses unite around a goal of zero net deforestation and forest degradation (ZNDD) by 2020 as a groundbreaking global benchmark to avoid dangerous climate change and curb biodiversity loss.

"We are squandering forests now by failing to sort out vital policy issues such as governance and economic incentives to keep forests standing," said Rod Taylor, WWF International Forests Director.

Business and governments need forests

The first chapter of the report comes as business and political leaders meet this week in Jakarta, Indonesia, for the Business 4 Environment Global Summit (B4E). The conference will be addressed by His Excellency Mr. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, President of the Republic of Indonesia.

"The dual imperatives of ZNDD and meeting global demand for materials and energy pose both challenges and business opportunities for the forest products sector," the report states. "Forest products are renewable and, when sourced from well-managed natural forests and plantations, tend to have a lower footprint than alternatives like steel, concrete and plastic based on fossil sources."

On the first day of the conference, businesses from the forestry, mining and palm oil sectors operating on the nearby island of Borneo will meet as part of WWF's Heart of Borneo Green Business Network.

At the summit, WWF will call on forestry companies to join the organization's Global Forest & Trade Network, and also on other business sectors to support our goal in achieving certification of 75% of key global commodities in the region by 2020. More than 40% of the island's forests are under concession to the private sector, with around 23% (6 million hectares) under management by the forestry industry.

Carrefour, a leading retailer in Indonesia is answering this call by endorsing WWF's Global Forest & Trade Network (GFTN). Today, the group's two biggest suppliers for tissue paper in Indonesia, PT Graha Kerindo Utama and PT Graha Cemerlang Paper Utama are pledging to implement sustainable business under the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).

"Our ambition is both simple and strong: to become the preferred retailer. This can only be achieved by managing our retail business in a responsible and sustainable manner," said RM Adji Srihandoyo, the Corporate Affair Director PT CARREFOUR

Heart of Borneo – a model for collaboration

More businesses than ever before are working toward sustainable forest management, and governments are strengthening land use criteria and developing groundbreaking economic and fiscal incentives on the island, one of the most forest-rich places on the planet.

On the ground, WWF and its local partners are developing pilot projects to demonstrate the feasibility of these approaches.

"In the Heart of Borneo, tangible examples of how these systems work are emerging. WWF-Indonesia acknowledges that sustainability does not occur overnight. We call on the business sector to join with us as we make the first steps on the road to a green economy and low carbon future, not just in Borneo, but in Sumatra and Papua as well – step by step," said Dr. Efransjah, WWF-Indonesia CEO.

Right now on the island of Borneo in a 220,000km2 area designated for conservation and sustainable development called the Heart of Borneo, these are the ideas being put into practice.

ZNDD no barrier to sustainable forest-based business

Zero net deforestation and forest degradation by 2020 means no overall loss of forest area or forest quality, so a new monoculture plantation does not offset the loss of primary natural forest. The target requires the loss of natural or semi-natural forest to be reduced to near zero, down from the current 13 million hectares a year, and held at that level indefinitely.

To understand what this would mean in practice, WWF developed the Living Forests Model with the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), which forms the basis for the Living Forests Report.

The Living Forests Model projects that by "doing nothing" we could lose more than 230 million hectares between now and 2050.

"The Living Forests Model shows that conserving our forests is possible – and urgent. But it won't be easy," said Taylor.

Making a difference now and towards 2050

"Better governance and economic incentives will enable sound stewardship of forests and more productive use of already- degraded land," Taylor said. "This would ensure enough farming land, timber plantations and well-managed forests to meet current global demand for wood and food without further forest loss."

The report concludes that maintaining near zero forest loss in the longer term will require responses to rising pressures on forests due to demand for food, materials and fuel for a growing population, expected to hit 9 billion people by 2050.

"In the short term, halting deforestation is all about better governance," said Taylor, "But as we get out towards 2050 and the population passes 9 billion, we will need to cut over-consumption and waste of food and energy, and boost productivity of farms and forestry to keep forest loss at near zero."

More to come

Held in partnership with WWF, Global Initiatives and the Government of Indonesia, the B4E Summit hopes "to generate collaborative solutions to address the most urgent environmental and climate issues facing the world today."

Additional chapters of the Living Forest Report will be released throughout the year to form a comprehensive analysis of the choices and decisions that must be made to secure a forested future for people and nature.

Palm oil meet underscores sustainability pledges

2010-11-11

Jakarta, Indonesia – Members of the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) have reaffirmed commitments to protect valuable tropical forests, agreeing to uphold sustainability standards on new plantings and focus more attention on the rapidly growing Chinese and Indian markets.

The RSPO's 8th annual conference, which came to a close today (Thursday) in Jakarta, was attended by 750 participants.

Representatives from buyers, producers, traders and social and environmental NGOs concluded the four-day meeting with a decision requiring plantation companies to show compliance with the RSPO criteria before starting new plantings.

"The decision to keep the new plantings procedure shows that palm oil growers in the RSPO are committed to protecting important tropical forests and wildlife," said Adam Harrison, WWF's representative on RSPO's executive board.

Members also approved a resolution that will hold buyers accountable to purchasing certified palm oil according to time bound plans.

Earlier in the week, roundtable members also voiced commitments during a special session to work together to galvanize the markets for sustainable palm oil in China and India, which represent 31 percent of total global consumption of palm oil.

"We need to get the Indian and the Chinese market involved, which is difficult to do. Both markets have only recently opened up to retail," said RSPO president Jan Kees Vis.

The RSPO said last month that about 60 percent of the sustainable palm oil produced has been bought this year. And in 2010's first quarter, the overall market uptake of sustainable palm oil was 95 percent.

There are currently 21 plantation companies that have gained RSPO certification, representing over 630,000 hectares of land and an annual production of 3.2 million tonnes of Certified Sustainable Palm Oil.

"While encouraging, this is not enough to alleviate the pressure that growing demands for palm oil is having on the world's rainforests, which is why China and India are important markets," added Adam Harrison.

According to WWF, a global market shift toward more sustainable palm oil that truly helps to stem forest loss cannot happen until influential companies in China and India move toward sustainability.

WWF worked with other NGOs and the palm oil industry to set up the RSPO in 2003. Certified Sustainable Palm Oil has been available since November 2008 and provides assurance that valuable tropical forests have not been cleared and that environmental and social safeguards have been met during the production of the palm oil.

Video: Palm oil: how our consumer choices affect wildlife

Camera catches bulldozer destroying Sumatra tiger forest

2010-10-12

Jakarta, Indonesia — A video camera trap installed by WWF and partners has captured footage linking the destruction of a crucial Sumatran tiger forest to the expansion of palm oil plantations in Indonesia's Riau Province.

Videos and photos captured in May and June 2010 – released to the public for the first time today – caught a male Sumatran tiger walking straight to a camera and sniffing it.

A week later, the heat-activated-video camera trap documented a bulldozer clearing trees for an illegal palm oil plantation in the same exact location. The next day, the camera recorded a Sumatran tiger walking through the devastated landscape.

Watch video:

Bukit Batabuh, where the film was taken, was classified as a protected area by Riau Province in 1994, and categorized as a limited production forest based on Indonesia's 1986 Land Use Consensus, meaning no company can legally exploit the forest.

Clearing forest most likely illegal

"Because of its status, both as a protected area and limited production forest, the area cannot be developed as a palm oil plantation, therefore any forest clearence —including bulldozing activities to clear the path — strongly indicates this excavation was illegal," said Ian Kosasih, WWF-Indonesia's Director of Forest and Species Program. "The law should be enforced in this matter."

"And to stop illegal activities such as this, the palm oil industry should not source its material from farmers or producers who develop their plantations illegally."

Since mid-2009, WWF has installed video camera traps in Bukit Batabuh to study Sumatran tiger distribution, habits, and threats they are facing. The wildlife corridor connects Rimbang Baling Wildlife Reserve and Bukit Tigapuluh National Park, making it a crucial area for tiger conservation.

This area is an important habitat for Sumatran tigers

"These video camera traps show that Bukit Batabuh area is an important habitat for the Sumatran tiger in Riau, functioning as a wildlife corridor between Bukit Tigapuluh and Rimbang Baling Tiger Priority Landscape, hence it becomes a priority area for tiger conservation," explained M. Awriya Ibrahim M.Sc Director of Investigation and Forest Protection, Ministry of Forestry.

"Forest clearance in this area threatens this endangered species because it reduces natural habitat and consequently increases human-tiger conflicts, an unfortunate consequence for both sides. Therefore, we encourage all stakeholders—namely provincial and district level government, business sectors, and communities—to support protection for this landscape. The Ministry of Forestry is investigating this matter and will take strong measure in law enforcement, if this activity is proven violating the law."

Previous footage documents tigress and cubs only 200 metres from this location

The location where the tiger and bulldozer were documented by video in May 2010 is only 200 meters away from a video camera trap which captured a tigress and her cubs passing by in October 2009. (Watch video)

Indonesia has adopted protection for critical tiger habitats as part of its commitment to the Conservation Strategy and Action Plan for Sumatran Tiger 2007, and the National Tiger Recovery Plan, delivered at the Pre-Tiger Summit Partners' Dialogue Meeting in Bali, in July 2010.

During the Bali meeting, which was attended by government delegates from all13 tiger range countries, a strategic plan to achieve an overarching goal of doubling wild tiger populations by 2022 was discussed. The plan is expected to be ratified by heads of government at the Tiger Summit in St. Petersburg, Russia, scheduled for 21-24 Nov. 2010.

"The Indonesian government's commitment to improve protection for its biodiversity—including an ecosystem-based land-use planning delivered in international fora like the Pre-Tiger Summit Partners' Dialogue Meeting in Bali last July, and upcoming Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in October —should be supported by stakeholders in provincial or district levels especially on the issue of overlapping land-use planning," explained Chairul Saleh, General Secretary of the Sumatra Land Use Forum (ForTRUST).

Saleh said sufficient prey and protection for the remaining wild Sumatran tiger populations will allow the species to procreate and provide it with an intact home range and habitat that will minimize incidents of human-tiger conflict.

"Bearing this in mind, a revision of Riau's Provincial Land Use Planning—based on sustainable development principles adhering to ecosystem preservation and accomodating the tiger's habitat—is crucial."

Land clearing practices for palm oil plantations in the area have been going on for some time, pushing the tiger to have close contact with humans. Workers have testified that they frequently find tiger tracks in palm oil plantations.

The deforestation rate in Riau pushed WWF to intensify tiger population surveys in the province. Aside from vast deforestation, the population declines are exacerbated by illegal poaching. In March, WWF's Tiger Patrol Unit and Riau's Nature Conservation Agency confiscated more than 110 tiger snares in Bukit Betabuh.

Tigers everywhere are losing habitat

There are as few as 400 Sumatran tigers left in Indonesia, or about 12 percent of the estimated global tiger population of 3,200 tigers. With its significant percentage of the global tiger population, Indonesia has a prominent role in tiger conservation efforts. The tiger population is threatened by loss and fragmented habitat, decreasing prey populations, illegal poaching and trading of the tiger and its body parts, as well as human-tiger conflicts.

Take action now and sign the Tiger Pledge on the WWF Action Centre.

For more information please contact:

M. Awriya Ibrahim M.Sc of Directorate-General Forest Protection and Nature Conservation, Ministry of Forestry of Indonesia +62 21 5730138

Karmila Parakkasi, WWF-Indonesia's Sumatran tiger research team leader, m + 62 8117510735

Desmarita Murni, WWF-Indonesia's Communications Manager, m +62 811793458, dmurni@wwf.or.id

Notes for Editor:

The video of Sumatran tiger and forest clearing activities in Sumatra's Bukit Batabuh (referenced in the above text) can be downloaded from http://gvn.panda.org/?r=356&k=11fca67902

- The link includes copyright information, a shot list, and a description.

About WWF

WWF is one of the world's largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with almost 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries. WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of the earth's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world's biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

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