malaysian palm oil - green gold or green wash?

This executive summary by Friends of the Earth International challenges the sustainability claims of the Malaysian palm oil lobby, specifically the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC). The document argues that palm oil expansion, particularly in the state of Sarawak, is driving deforestation, violating indigenous land rights, and contributing to greenhouse gas emissions through the drainage and burning of peatlands, often fueled by European and American demand for biofuels.

• The claim by the Malaysian palm oil lobby that zero-burning is strictly enforced is false; Sarawak's own environmental laws permit plantation companies to use open burning to clear land, including peat soils, which contributes to regional haze and greenhouse gas emissions.
• Contrary to claims that forests are not converted for oil palm, there is significant evidence of deforestation for expansion. In Sarawak, at least 400,000 hectares of Permanent Forest Estates were allocated for conversion to agriculture plantations, primarily oil palm.
• The Sarawak state government has licensed companies to increase oil palm acreage to 1.3 million hectares by 2010 from 2007 levels. Additionally, nearly a quarter of the state's land mass (2.8 million hectares) has been licensed to logging groups for conversion into plantations, with at least 290,000 hectares designated for oil palm for a single rotation.
• Claims that the Penan indigenous communities were provided with virgin forests to maintain their nomadic lifestyle are false. The promised "Biosphere Reserves" lack a legal basis and have not materialized, leaving the Penan and other indigenous groups more impoverished as their traditional land rights are often denied.
• Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) for plantations in Sarawak are criticized for lacking objectivity and denying public participation. The document states that the standard recommendation of these EIAs is for projects to proceed, prioritizing government policy over international best practices.
• The claim that oil palm absorbs as much carbon dioxide as tropical forests is based on an outdated nine-year-old study that ignores emissions from deforestation and peatland drainage. The report asserts that the "carbon debt" is huge when plantations are developed on peat soils or forests.
• European and American ambitions for bio-energy are major drivers of plantation expansion in Malaysia. The report specifically criticizes the EU's target to increase biofuel use in road transport to 10 per cent by 2020, arguing it fails to address unsustainable consumption and may increase tropical deforestation.

APA

Friends of the Earth International (2008). malaysian palm oil - green gold or green wash? https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/04-foei-sarawak-8p-lr.pdf

Chicago

Friends of the Earth International. malaysian palm oil - green gold or green wash? 2008. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/04-foei-sarawak-8p-lr.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Friends of the Earth International |title=malaysian palm oil - green gold or green wash? |date=October 2008 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/04-foei-sarawak-8p-lr.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{friendsoftheearthinternational2008malaysian, author = {{Friends of the Earth International}}, title = {{malaysian palm oil - green gold or green wash?}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2008}, month = oct, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/04-foei-sarawak-8p-lr.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }