Archived press release

Biofuels standards challenged by new report on Malaysian Palm Oil

8 October 2008

Malaysian palm oil is finding its way into British petrol tanks despite concerns about its carbon balance and the rainforest being destroyed to produce it - according to a new report by Friends of the Earth international.

The UK Renewable Fuels Agency (RFA) has reported that Malaysian palm oil being used for fuel in the UK meets a "qualifying environmental standard", but Friends of the Earth's research reveals it is far from green.

The report exposes the green-wash of the Malaysian palm oil lobby and shows that:

1. Malaysia's largest state, Sarawak, plans to more than double its 2007 levels of oil palm acreage by 2010, taking it to a total of 1.3 million hectares. Contrary to claims by the Malaysian palm oil lobby the expansion comes at the expense of tropical forests.

2. Plantation companies regularly practice open burning on carbon rich peat soils releasing millions of tonnes of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and contributing to regional air pollution.

3. Forest reserves promised to the Penan indigenous communities of Sarawak - threatened by plantation expansion and logging - have never materialised.

Kenneth Richter, Friends of the Earth's Biofuels Campaigner.

"Politicians talk about strict standards, but rainforests are still being ripped up to fill British petrol tanks. Biofuels targets must be scrapped. People want to see real green transport solutions that make a difference to their lives instead - like better public transport and smarter cars that burn less fuel."

Notes:

1. The executive summary of the report "Malaysian Palm Oil: Green gold or green wash?" is online here:
www.foei.org/en/publications/pdfs/malaysian-palm-oil-exec-sum

2.The full text of the report for journalist preview is online here:
www.foei.org/en/publications/pdfs/malaysian-palm-oil

3. In its first monthly report (covering the period April/May 2008) the Renewable Fuels Agency (RFA) reported that 100 per cent of Malaysian palm oil met a "qualifying environmental standard". However, no independent audits of palm plantations by the referenced scheme (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, RSPO) had been completed when the data for the report was first submitted. In its latest quarterly report (published 7 Oct 2008) the RFA has adjusted downwards the amount of Malaysian palm oil reported as meeting a qualified standard to 47 per cent. www.dft.gov.uk/rfa/_db/_documents/RFA_monthly_report_Apr_May_2008.pdf

4. It could take up to 420 years to repay the carbon debt for palm oil biodiesel from converted natural peat forests according to research by Fargione et al, 2008: "Land Clearing and the Biofuel Carbon Debt"

5. Earlier this year the British advertising watchdog ruled that Malaysian palm oil ads claiming that the oil is sustainable were misleading the public. The advert, which appeared on BBC World in summer 2007, was deemed to have used highly misleading wording and imagery.

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust