Greasy palms – palm oil, the environment and big business

This report summarises two separate Friends of the Earth reports on, respectively, the increasing demand for palm oil in developed countries, and the social and environmental impacts of palm oil cultivation in Southeast Asia - focussing particularly on Indonesia. Based on an analysis of the European market and focused particularly on companies trading in palm oil in the UK, the Netherlands and Sweden, the report argues that palm oil production:is a major contributor to the rapid forest clearance in Indonesia and Malaysiahas led to forced removal of indigenous and rural people from their land contaminates local environments, destroying local food sources and faunauses agro-chemicals, which have been linked with illness and birth defects among locals and employeesThe authors call for the UK Government to implement corporate responsibility legislation, and outline actions for the EU, UK-based manufacturers and suppliers, and the public to promote sustainable and ethical oil production.