Palm Oil - Driving Forest Destruction

There is a growing demand for Imported palm oil which is driving its price upward.

Palm Oil Price has increased 65% in the last 12 years

This is driving the destruction of rainforest and wildlife habitat and wholesale burning of native forests which creates more pollution than the use of biodiesel can compensate for.

Some argue that they only buy from "old" plantations and that makes the palm oil less damaging. But that argument doesn't hold water. If we increase palm oil demand and pay a premium price to get it from an old plantation, that simply offsets someone else to a new slash-and-burn sources. Our increased demand will fuel forest destruction regardless of where our particular supply originates.

How sustainable is imported palm oil? Why would we refine it here instead of importing the finished product?

Palm Oil Disaster argues that no palm oil biodiesel is sustainable

Forget BioFuel Author argues that net effect of growing biofuels is negative.

Biofuels Must Be Made Sustainably, Says European Commission

The Oil for Ape Scandal Destruction of forest habitat endangers Orangutan

World Rainforest Movement Facts on Disappearing Rainforests

Palm oil: the biofuel of the future driving an ecological disaster now 

Agrofuels Reality Check

Biofuels Threaten to Accelerate Global Warming

An estimation of the expected CO2 emissions caused by producing South East Asian palm oil for biodiesel, compared with the avoided diesel emissions

The Bitter Fruit of Palm Oil (entire book is available online)

Deforestation -- The Dark Side of Europe's Thirst for Green Fuel 

Make Way Jungle, We Want Oil!

Videos on Palm Oil