Deforestation: is there too much focus on palm oil?

Announcements at COP26 have refocused attention on to the need for companies to transparently and immediately eliminate deforestation from their supply chains. However, new Aidenvironment research warns palm oil buyers of the risks from non-palm deforestation by companies in the palm oil sector. This begs the question – how credible are corporate deforestation-free palm oil claims?

In this hour-long webinar, an expert panel discussed:

Why a focus on palm oil has meant that other deforestation risks haven’t had the profile they perhaps should.
The critical challenge of “leakage” in terms of where deforestation risks are in value chains.
Examples of the risks commodity buyers need to look for in non-palm supply chains.

The panel ended with the message that cross-commodity approaches are important, and that companies and stakeholders from other sectors outside palm oil have solutions to stop non-palm deforestation. Aidenvironment urges palm oil companies to expand the scope of their no-deforestation commitments to include the industrial tree sector, and use their leverage to save more forests.

Panel:

Mark Wong, head of downstream sustainability, Sime Darby Plantation
Chris Wiggs, programme director, Aidenvironment
Ruth Nussbaum, co-founder and director, Proforest
Matthew Leggett, associate director, sustainable commodities and private sector engagement, Wildlife Conservation Society

Moderated by Ian Welsh, Innovation Forum

To access the Aidenvironment research, click here.

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