The Round Table of Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) is an association created by organisations ivolved in the entire supply chain for palm oil. The aim of the RSPO is to promote the growth and use of sustainable palm oil.
Wetlands International is a member of RSPO since 2007. Our main objective is to exclude all palm oil production on peat soils and to include criteria on greenhouse gas emissions. Current plantations on peat should, adapt their production and work on restoration after the life cycle of the crop.
The issue
A large part of the Southeast Asian palm oil is planted on peatsoils. One hectare of peat drained for plantations will emit about 90 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year! Dependent of the harvest, this means carbon dioxide emissions in the order of tens of tonnes for the production of one tonne of palm oil. 50% of new plantations in Indonesia are be establlished on tropical peatlands.
Wanted: criteria to exclude peatlands
Currently the RSPO criteria only include vague guidelines on 'avoiding establishment palm oil plantations on peatlands'; not excluding criteria. There are also no criteria on greenhouse gas emissions during the production of palm oil.
A greenhouse gas working group, working since 2008 on criteria could not come up with any proposal; due to the blockade of the members representing the plantation owners in Indonesia and Malaysia. In Oktober 2009, a resolution of Wetlands International was passed to develop criteria for existing plantations on peat.