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9.3.2.3 Civil Society
Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) This is an organization of businesses
and NGOs. It is working to build a consensus on the standards of sustainability as
part of an approach to promote sustainable production and distribution of palm oil.
The RSPO is headquartered in Malaysia with a liaison office in Indonesia. It has
published the interpretation of the standards for Indonesia.
NGOs International and local NGOs are operating in Indonesia for the purpose of
the forest conservation and the protection of indigenous peoples. They are active not
only in Indonesia but also in consumer countries, such as the United States and
EU. Some NGOs regard compliance with the RSPO standards as satisfactory, while
others demand tougher measures.
Indigenous People The development may provide improvements in opportunities
for employment and education for them. There is, however, a risk of these people
losing a sustainable infrastructure for their livelihood.
Indonesian Consumers The price of crude palm oil temporarily spiked during the
period from 2007 to 2008 corresponding to the rise in crude oil prices. The consumption of palm oil as food may be affected.
9.3.3 Major Issues Relating to Biofuel Production
The key issue which the Indonesian palm industry faces is the sustainability of the
production process, including its impact on the environment and society.
Biodiversity may be lost and the rights of the indigenous peoples violated as the
result of deforestation and peat bog development as part of new plantation development as well as the destruction of the existing ecosystems due to these activities. If
small farmers practice their slash-and-burn method of farming in the process of
switching to palm cultivation, peat bogs, which are extremely flammable during the
dry season, can be easily ignited and develop into forest fires. Such forest fires will
inevitably lead to the loss of biodiversity and the violation of the rights of the indigenous people, as well as the emission of greenhouse gases (GHG).
Water pollution in these regions as a result of wastewater discharged from the oil
extraction process as well as the use of agricultural chemicals and fertilizers during
cultivation may also lead to the loss of biodiversity and the violation of the rights of
the indigenous people. It is apparent that the ecology of wildlife and the livelihood
of the indigenous peoples will be in a very vulnerable situation as the logical conclusion of these various issues.
In addition to the abovementioned problems which are applicable to the palm
industry as a whole, particular important issues relating to the production of biodiesel
from palm oil include a macroscopic problem of an increased demand for biofuel
competing with the demand for food supply and a question as to whether replacing
petroleum-based fuels by biodiesel actually leads to the reduction of the GHG.
M. Matsuura and H. Shiroyama
9.3.2.3 Civil Society
Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) This is an organization of businesses
and NGOs. It is working to build a consensus on the standards of sustainability as
part of an approach to promote sustainable production and distribution of palm oil.
The RSPO is headquartered in Malaysia with a liaison office in Indonesia. It has
published the interpretation of the standards for Indonesia.
NGOs International and local NGOs are operating in Indonesia for the purpose of
the forest conservation and the protection of indigenous peoples. They are active not
only in Indonesia but also in consumer countries, such as the United States and
EU. Some NGOs regard compliance with the RSPO standards as satisfactory, while
others demand tougher measures.
Indigenous People The development may provide improvements in opportunities
for employment and education for them. There is, however, a risk of these people
losing a sustainable infrastructure for their livelihood.
Indonesian Consumers The price of crude palm oil temporarily spiked during the
period from 2007 to 2008 corresponding to the rise in crude oil prices. The consumption of palm oil as food may be affected.
9.3.3 Major Issues Relating to Biofuel Production
The key issue which the Indonesian palm industry faces is the sustainability of the
production process, including its impact on the environment and society.
Biodiversity may be lost and the rights of the indigenous peoples violated as the
result of deforestation and peat bog development as part of new plantation development as well as the destruction of the existing ecosystems due to these activities. If
small farmers practice their slash-and-burn method of farming in the process of
switching to palm cultivation, peat bogs, which are extremely flammable during the
dry season, can be easily ignited and develop into forest fires. Such forest fires will
inevitably lead to the loss of biodiversity and the violation of the rights of the indigenous people, as well as the emission of greenhouse gases (GHG).
Water pollution in these regions as a result of wastewater discharged from the oil
extraction process as well as the use of agricultural chemicals and fertilizers during
cultivation may also lead to the loss of biodiversity and the violation of the rights of
the indigenous people. It is apparent that the ecology of wildlife and the livelihood
of the indigenous peoples will be in a very vulnerable situation as the logical conclusion of these various issues.
In addition to the abovementioned problems which are applicable to the palm
industry as a whole, particular important issues relating to the production of biodiesel
from palm oil include a macroscopic problem of an increased demand for biofuel
competing with the demand for food supply and a question as to whether replacing
petroleum-based fuels by biodiesel actually leads to the reduction of the GHG.
M. Matsuura and H. Shiroyama