Palm oil is a type of vegetable oil that is derived from the fruit of the African oil palm tree. These palms are originally from Western Africa but can flourish wherever heat and rainfall are present. Today, palm oil is grown throughout Asia, Africa, South America and North America, with 85% of all palm oil globally produced and exported from Malaysia and Indonesia.
Impacts on the Environment
A broad proportion of palm oil development occurs at the expense of biodiversity and ecosystems in the countries it is produced. Currently in Indonesia, due to the unsustainable development of palm oil plantations rapidly encroaching on their habitat, a third of all mammal species are considered to be critically endangered.
Orangutans are one animal of a particular importance and have become a charismatic icon for deforestation in Sumatra and Borneo. In the last 20 years over 80% of the orangutan habitat has been destroyed and an estimated 1000-5000 orangutans are kill each year for the development of palm oil. Orangutans are a keystone species and they play a critical role in maintaining the health of the ecosystem. An example of this is the spread of rain forest seeds in Indonesia which can only germinate once passed through the stomach of an orangutan, hence this primate is crucial for the survival of the forest. Deforestation for palm oil plantations also contributes significantly to climate change. Due to the removal of the native forests which often involves the burning of invaluable timber and remaining forest undergrowth, emitting immense quantities of smoke into the atmosphere, Indonesia is the third highest greenhouse gas emitter in the world.
Orangutans are one animal of a particular importance and have become a charismatic icon for deforestation in Sumatra and Borneo. In the last 20 years over 80% of the orangutan habitat has been destroyed and an estimated 1000-5000 orangutans are kill each year for the development of palm oil. Orangutans are a keystone species and they play a critical role in maintaining the health of the ecosystem. An example of this is the spread of rain forest seeds in Indonesia which can only germinate once passed through the stomach of an orangutan, hence this primate is crucial for the survival of the forest. Deforestation for palm oil plantations also contributes significantly to climate change. Due to the removal of the native forests which often involves the burning of invaluable timber and remaining forest undergrowth, emitting immense quantities of smoke into the atmosphere, Indonesia is the third highest greenhouse gas emitter in the world.
Impacts on Animals
Over 300,000 different animals are found throughout the jungles of Sumatra and Borneo, many of which are injured, killed and displaced during deforestation. Palm oil development also increases accessibility of animals to poachers and wildlife smugglers who use them for medical purposes, capture and sell them as pets or kill them for their body parts. The destruction of rain forests in Sumatra and Borneo is therefore not only a conservation emergency but also a major animals welfare crisis.
Wildlife such as orangutans have been found killed alive, killed from guns, machete attacks and other weaponry. In the last two decades, government data has shown that over 50,000 orangutans have already died as a result of deforestation due to palm oil. This either occurs after the animal enters a village or existing palm oil plantation in search for food, or during the deforestation process.Often mother orangutans are also killed by poachers and have their babies taken to be kept as pets or sold or used for entertainment in wildlife tourism parks in countries such as Bali and Thailand.
Other mammals that suffer as a result of this development include species such as the Sumatran Rhinoceros, Pygmy Elephant, Sumatran Tiger, Sun Bear, Proboscis Monkey and Clouded Leopard.
Wildlife such as orangutans have been found killed alive, killed from guns, machete attacks and other weaponry. In the last two decades, government data has shown that over 50,000 orangutans have already died as a result of deforestation due to palm oil. This either occurs after the animal enters a village or existing palm oil plantation in search for food, or during the deforestation process.Often mother orangutans are also killed by poachers and have their babies taken to be kept as pets or sold or used for entertainment in wildlife tourism parks in countries such as Bali and Thailand.
Other mammals that suffer as a result of this development include species such as the Sumatran Rhinoceros, Pygmy Elephant, Sumatran Tiger, Sun Bear, Proboscis Monkey and Clouded Leopard.
Impacts on People
The formulation of oil palm plantations if often promoted as a way of bringing development to the poor and rural regions of Sumatra and Borneo, but in reality the industry often has devastating impacts on the people in these areas. Often the governments main interest in the country's economy leads them to grant corporations take the land owned by indigenous people for their own financial aid.
The palm oil industry is also associated to major human rights violations, including child labor in isolated areas of Malaysia and Indonesia. Children are forced to weed fields, carry large loads of heavy fruit and spend hours every day bent over collecting fruit from the plantation floor. Heat exhaustion and cuts and bruises from climbing thorny oil palm are commonplace in this harmful work space. Children often receive little or no pay for their efforts.
Communities are continuously finding themselves with no choice but to become plantation workers because the rain forest land that the local people depend on is being destroyed by systematic plantations. Confronted with poor and degrading work conditions, they often earn hardly enough income to survive and provide for their families. Instead of being able to sustain themselves, indigenous communities become reliant on the success of the palm oil industry for their income and survival, leaving these villagers incredibly vulnerable to the world market price of palm oil which they have no control over.
The palm oil industry is also associated to major human rights violations, including child labor in isolated areas of Malaysia and Indonesia. Children are forced to weed fields, carry large loads of heavy fruit and spend hours every day bent over collecting fruit from the plantation floor. Heat exhaustion and cuts and bruises from climbing thorny oil palm are commonplace in this harmful work space. Children often receive little or no pay for their efforts.
Communities are continuously finding themselves with no choice but to become plantation workers because the rain forest land that the local people depend on is being destroyed by systematic plantations. Confronted with poor and degrading work conditions, they often earn hardly enough income to survive and provide for their families. Instead of being able to sustain themselves, indigenous communities become reliant on the success of the palm oil industry for their income and survival, leaving these villagers incredibly vulnerable to the world market price of palm oil which they have no control over.