What is sustainable palm oil?

Palm oil is the most consumed edible oil in the world. The increasing popularity of this oil is due to its unique characteristics. First, palm oil crops require less land use than other oils. In addition, this vegetable oil is extremely versatile and can be, therefore, used for a great variety of products. This makes palm oil a very attractive ingredient, even more with the current challenges in regards to the increasing demand for global food. The growing production of palm oil is, however, highly contested. Its production is often associated with negative effects on the environment. Concerns for the association between deforestation and biodiversity loss on the hand, and the production of agricultural crops, such as palm oil, on the other, presents a number of questions in regards to its production: is there an alternative to palm oil?

Can palm oil be produced sustainably?

Different studies of NGOs claim that there is no better alternative to this crop. Boycotting palm oil will namely mean producing alternatives that require even more land use, and would, therefore, present even more sustainability problems. What is then the way forward? The answer is: producing palm oil in a sustainable way. Palm oil can be sustainable. But what does this exactly means? Producing sustainably means cultivating this crop in line with social and environmental standards established by voluntary, and in some cases, mandatory schemes. Many of these schemes are the result of closing cooperation between NGOs, businesses, smallholders and governments. Here you can find a number of voluntary and mandatory sustainability standards that apply to palm oil.