The demand for biofuels is one of the major driving forces behind the expansion of palm-oil production. Indonesia and Malaysia alone produce 90% of the world’s palm oil. Unfortunately, however, up to 20% of plantations in South-East Asia are on peat soils, which until recently were covered by peatswamp forests.
From rainforest to plantation
Peatsoils are not very suitable for palm oil production. Their fertility is poor and peatlands are far too wet for these trees. Peatswamp areas - both forests and logged areas - are though also the last remaining sparsely populated areas in Indonesia and Malaysia. For this reason, it is easy to establish huge plantations in these areas with little conflicts with local people. As a result, especially huge parts of the peatswamp areas of western Sumatra (Riau, Jambi), Southern Kalimantan and the Borneo parts of Malaysia are turned into palm oil plantations. An example of this is the current loss of the Tripa Forest in Sumatra (see our campaign on this).
With logging of the beautiful peatswamp forest and large scale deep drainage, these areas are made suitable for oil palms. The result is a rapid loss of unique biodiversity and of species like the Sumatran tiger, Rhinoceros and Urang Utan. Less known are the enormous carbon dioxide emissions caused by peatland loss.
Carbon loss
Peat soils need to be drained to a depth of at least 70 centimeters before oil palm can be grown. But in practice they are drained to over one metre. Draining peat triggers an oxidation process. Under tropical conditions, this leads to yearly emissions of 70–100 tonnes or more of carbon dioxide per hectare, as shown in the scientific report Peat-CO2.
So, as Indonesia has over 1.5 million hectares of palm oil plantations on peat, drainage for palm oil there is likely to cause emissions of up to 150 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year. With harvests of 2-6 tonnes palm oil per hectare, palm oil is causing carbon dioxide emissions of 10 times the magnitude compared to fossil oil.
From plantation to wasteland
In addition, these areas will eventually turn into wastelands when the peatsoils have 'evaporated' and the ground level is around the water table. At this stage, further drainage becomes impossible. In coastal areas, salt seawater intrudes the fresh water areas.
The demand for palm oil is expected to double in the next two decades. This adds up to the also growing demand for palm oil as vegetable oil for food. The mandatory target of 10% biofuel use for transport in the EU by 2020 has already had a huge impact. As a result, large new plantations are being planned without considering the wider consequences. In Indonesia, more than 50% of these concessions are planned for peatlands (3 to 4 million hectares).
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