PRESS RELEASE
Friends of the Earth
RAINFOREST DESTRUCTION IN YOUR SHOPPING
BASKET
Photos Available [1] London (UK) March 8,
2004 -- Research released today reveals that
the booming trade in palm oil, used in
everyday products such as chocolate,
margarine, shampoo and detergents is fuelling
the destruction of rainforests in South East
Asia, and leading to human rights abuses and
devastating pollution.
In Europe, for instance, one in three food
products on supermarket shelves are directly
contributing to the destruction of the
world's rainforests, the new report by
Friends of the Earth shows [2]. Palm oil
accounts for 21 per cent of the global edible
oil market, and it is the most commonly used
vegetable oil after soy.
Large scale palm oil plantations are
replacing the forests in Indonesia and
Malaysia at an alarming rate, wiping out
80-100% of wildlife in the area, forcing
local communities from their land and
destroying their livelihoods. In Indonesia,
the forests are disappearing at a rate of
more than 2 million hectares a year – an area
half the size of Belgium. Nearly a quarter of
Indonesia's palm oil output goes to the
European Union.
Palm oil is one of the world's most
consumed oils, and 23 per cent of the palm
oil produced in Indonesia is sold to Europe.
Europe also buys the 87 per cent of
Indonesia's exports of palm kernel meal, used
in animal feed, and 61 per cent of
Indonesia's exports of palm kernel oil, used
in cosmetics.
Friends of the Earth is calling on the
companies involved in palm oil production to
take immediate steps to ensure they only use
sustainably produced palm oil. They should
ensure they are not involved in any forests
being converted to create new palm oil
plantations or using fire for clearing the
land.
Friends of the Earth Director Tony Juniper
said:“Consumers will be horrified to know
that their weekly shop is destroying the
rainforest, but it is all but impossible to
avoid buying palm oil. Tigers, orang-utans
and countless other species are being driven
to extinction while governments stand idly by
and allow companies to get away with it. This
problem will not be solved until there are
clear rules to ensure the products found in
our shops are produced in a way that does not
harm communities and the environment.”
The demand for profit from this rapidly
expanding trade is leading to human rights
violations against indigenous communities,
who are losing their land and being forced to
work on the plantations, often for less than
the minimum wage.
Palm oil exports from Indonesia alone have
increased by 244 per cent in the past seven
years, with toxic waste product from the
process polluting rivers and poisoning
workers. The report looks at the role of
companies in several countries, including the
UK and Sweden, which are heavily involved in
the trade as investors, retailers and in
processing palm oil. In the UK, the
environmental group is calling on the
Government to force UK companies to address
this issue, and introduce legislation to make
them accountable for the damage they
cause.
“The global trade in palm oil is
destroying some of the world's most precious
wildlife, but the UK Government and the
companies involved seem to be turning a blind
eye. It is time this greasy supply chain was
brought under control and the companies were
forced to take responsibility for the damage
they cause,” said Friends of the Earth
Director Tony Juniper.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT
In London (UK) Friends of the Earth EWNI
press office:
Tel: +44-20-7566 1649
Email :
media@foe.co.uk
In Indonesia:
Rudy Lumuru of ‘Sawit Watch': +62-
251-352171
Email :
rudy@sawitwatch.or.id
NOTES: [1] PHOTOS: To see them call the
visual resources officer in London on
+44-20-7566 1656
PHOTOS AVAILABLE SHOW:
(i) Rainforest destruction
(ii) Young oil palm plantations
(iii) Mature oil palm plantations
(iv) Water pollution
(v) Communities living along [2] ‘Greasy
palms – palm oil, the environment and big
business' is published by Friends of the
Earth on Monday 8th March 2004. A media pack
and embargoed copies of the report are
available electronically from the press
office at Friends of the Earth EWNI in London
via email:
media@foe.co.uk or Tel: +44-20-7566 1649 It
is available online (from 8th March) at:
www.foe.co.uk/resource/reports/palm_oil_summary.pdf
|
