The slippery politics of ‘sustainable’ palm oil (commentary)
Dec16

The slippery politics of ‘sustainable’ palm oil (commentary)

Commentary by Laura Humes What is the last thing you ate? If it was any kind of processed food, chances are that in the ingredients list you’ ll find the words “palm oil.” According to the Rainforest Action Network (RAN), palm oil is found in roughly half of packaged foods in U.S. supermarkets. Food companies made the switch to palm oil as a cheap alternative to trans fats, but international conservation and...

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RSPO meeting convenes in Malaysia
Nov21

RSPO meeting convenes in Malaysia

In a few hours the 9th annual meeting of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) [and 8th annual General Assembly] opens in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia. There are several important issues to be discussed at the meeting, including recent grievances filed against a several RSPO members, greenhouse gas emissions accounting, and mechanisms for better incorporating small holders into the body. Mongabay.com is a media partner for the...

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Girl Scouts fighting palm oil receive wider media coverage (video)
May24

Girl Scouts fighting palm oil receive wider media coverage (video)

After five years of campaigning, two Girl Scouts fighting palm oil in Girl Scout cookies are receiving wider media coverage this week after meeting with heads of Girl Scouts of the US. The organization has now agreed to research different options, such as sustainably-grown palm oil or using another ingredient, reports the Wall Street Journal. Above, the Girl Scout activists are interviewed on the CBS Early Show. For more information:...

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Girl Scouts question palm oil in their cookies

Forest clearing in Sumatra for palm oil plantation. Photo by: Rhett A. Butler. Two Girl Scouts are asking their organization why palm oil is an ingredient in pervasive and popular Girl Scout Cookies. Madison Vorva and Rhiannon Tomtishen, after their concerns about the environmental and social impact of palm oil have long been ignored by the heads of the Girl Scout organization, have joined with the Rainforest Action Network (RAN) to...

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Cultural survival at stake for the rainforest Penan of Borneo

The Penan tribe in Sarawak, in the Malaysian part of the island of Borneo, are trying to stop logging and palm oil companies destroying their rainforest home. Survival International, the organisation supporting tribal peoples, is campaigning for the Penan’s rights to their land. Survival researcher Miriam Ross traveled to Sarawak to meet some of the tribe. In one nomadic Penan community, Pisang, a Penan hunter, told her his story.

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The Initiative for Public Policy Analysis is a Nigeria-based palm oil lobby group
Jan10

The Initiative for Public Policy Analysis is a Nigeria-based palm oil lobby group

The Initiative for Public Policy Analysis (IPPA), which describes itself as a think-tank or public policy group, has launched a campaign targeting the World Bank on its palm oil lending policy.

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Activism: rural communities in the Philippines oppose mining, palm oil

Indigenous peoples and rural communities on Palawan Island, Philippines are facing loss of their forests, rice fields and livelihoods at the hands of oil palm and mining companies.

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What a face!
Dec05

What a face!

A Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii) makes a face. Listed as Critically Endangered the Sumatran orangutan is largely threatened by habitat loss to plantations, such as wood pulp and palm oil, and logging. After losing their forests, many orangutans, such as this one, are now housed in rehabilitation centers. Photo by: Rhett A. Butler. Click to see more photos of...

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Will forest conservation deal increase palm oil prices?

Bloomberg is reporting palm oil companies will be big winners should any forest conservation deal arise out of next week’s climate talks in Cancun, Mexico. The article quotes members of the palm oil industry, who argue that “any UN-led accord that restricts clearing rainforest for planting more palm trees would limit the supply of the edible oil crushed from their fruit and be a boon to prices for growers.” “It’s a...

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Tool for comparing value of forest conservation to logging, palm oil

A new tool developed by Lian Pin Koh of ETH Zurich allows users to quickly compare the value of various forms of land use, including oil palm plantation development, logging, and carbon conservation for REDD+ payments. The web-based tool provides a rough estimate for the net present value of economic activities as well as the impact on biodiversity. The tool is available at LU...

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New Borneo photos on mongabay.com
Oct13

New Borneo photos on mongabay.com

Mongabay.com has added new photos from Sabah, Malaysian Borneo including wildlife, palm oil plantations, and landscapes. One of the few surviving Critically-Endangered Bornean rhinoceros. Known as Tam, conservationists hope a female can be found for this captive male in order to help save the species. Photo by Jeremy Hance, 2009. Sunset over the rainforest at Tabin National Park. Photo by Jeremy Hance, 2009. Palm oil plantations as...

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Photo: Peat forest in Borneo being drained for oil palm plantations
Sep25

Photo: Peat forest in Borneo being drained for oil palm plantations

Airplane view of peatland being drained and cleared in Borneo.

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