Wilmar commits to zero deforestation

At the start of this year the world’s largest palm oil trader, Wilmar, committed to zero deforestation. However, since the company buys around one third of its raw supply from franchised or independent smallholder farmers who have little regulatory oversight, sceptics are not convinced that Wilmar will be able to stick to its promises.

Palm oil expansion continues in West Africa

Burgeoning global demand for palm oil and increasingly limited space for industry expansion in Asia is leading companies to look increasingly to Africa. Emmanuel Ngalle, pictured here with his grandchildren, refuses to sell his few hectares of land to Socapalm, a private oil palm company that owns six plantation concessions in Cameroon.

Ecologists explore novel ways to protect wildlife

A baby orangutan is screened for disease at Sabah Wildlife Unit in Borneo, Malaysia. Scientists at Imperial College London are half way through a 10 year study to determine whether creating ‘palm oil corridors’ will help protect endangered species by enabling them to move in and out of plantations.

#Nutellagate

Nutella hit the headlines in June when French ecology minister Ségolène Royal singled it out as a driver of deforestation and urged the public to avoid eating it. She later apologised after it was pointed out that the hazlenut spread, made by Italian chocolate group Ferrero, adheres to sustainable palm oil sourcing standards.

Forests blaze in south-east Asia

The annual toxic mix of seasonally dry conditions, slash and burn forest clearance for plantation development (including palm oil plantations), and highly flammable peat soils were exacerbated this year by the El Nino effect, resulting in fatal forest fires that began in July and continued for several months.

The costs of the forest fires are counted

A soldier uses swimming goggles to protect his eyes while helping fight a fire in Riau province, Indonesia. The forest fires destroyed some of the world’s most diverse habitats, killed at least 19 people and caused tens of thousands of respiratory infections. By October the Indonesian government estimated that financial damage to the region’s economy from the fires was already up to $47bn (£31.6bn).

Evacuees flee toxic air pollution

Infants and their mothers were evacuated from Indonesia to escape record pollution levels following the onset of forest fires on the region, most of which were believed to have been started deliberately to clear land for the production of pulp, paper and palm oil.

The drive to get India on board accelerates

India is the world’s largest palm oil importer but consumer awareness of sustainably sourced palm oil is minimal. There is little incentive for the domestic market to improve sourcing practices. However, the tide is turning. Hindustan Unilever’s Sustainable Living Plan, for example, includes a goal for all palm oil to come from traceable, sustainably certified sources by 2020.

Researchers develop a palm oil alternative

Researchers at the University of Bath have successfully cultivated a yeast that matches palm oil’s key properties almost identically. The possibility of being able to scale up the production of the palm oil alternative on an industrial scale came a step closer this December when the researchers – partnered with University of York scientists – were awarded a £4.4m grant.