| dc.description.abstract | The palm oil industry has developed from a local supply chain to a global industry with over seventeen million hectares of oil palm plantations. This expansion is often accompanied by the alarming conversion of tropical forests, peatlands, and land assigned for indigenous communities and local food supply. Mitigating these issues has so far been unsuccessful as the increasing complexity of this global supply chain has posed a barrier for the implementation of effective sustainability interventions. Transparency on the relation between consumption and its embedded impacts can once more strengthen supply chain governance. In order to meet the lasting need for accessible, comprehensive and comparable data, the aim of this study is to establish a common understanding on the scope, definitions and methodology for impact assessment and supply chain analysis that strengthens sustainability interventions in the palm oil supply chain.
Insight in the effectiveness of current interventions has been created. Besides inaction, that entails the uncontrolled expansion of oil palm plantations, moving away from palm oil was found to be no option. Considering the uniquely high yield and low production costs, palm oil is regarded the only option to meet the majority of the increasing demand for vegetable oils in food, cosmetics, biobased materials. For biodiesel alternative feedstocks that do not increase land scarcity are possible. Interventions from a national governance perspective proved subject to impact migration, which demands a shift to trans-national or preferably global governance. The analysis of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification has shown that certification schemes must furthermore increase monitoring of the affiliated actors, sharpen the criteria for sustainable production and include the plantation expansion process in their scope. As this certification scheme is currently ineffective, upholding the claim of certified sustainable palm oil is thus considered greenwashing.
A global solution involving all responsible actors is advised. Independent consumption-based impact assessment can act as a tool to monitor progress towards each sustainable target. The suggested indicator that captures the environmental strain best is the land use footprint, expressed in the biogenic carbon emissions of deforestation and peatland destruction. To operationalise this indicator and link the impact at conversion to the worldwide consumption, a methodology based on Environmentally Extended Multi-Regional Input-Output (EMRIO) is proposed. This approach should yield the accessible, comprehensive and comparable data that allows for clear communication, mutual comparison and unambiguous decision making, ultimately leading towards a sustainable palm oil supply chain. | |
