Measuring and Mitigating GHGs: Palm Oil

The document examines the greenhouse gas (GHG) footprint of palm oil, noting that emissions range from -0.3 to over 20 kgCO2e/kg CPO, with an average of approximately 6 kgCO2e/kg CPO. The primary drivers of these emissions are land-use change (LUC), particularly the conversion of tropical forests and peatlands, and the degradation of palm oil mill effluent (POME). The report highlights that emissions are highly spatially heterogeneous, with peat-based production being significantly more carbon-intensive than mineral-soil production. Mitigation strategies focus on preventing further deforestation and peatland development, managing water tables in existing peatlands, and implementing POME treatment technologies such as biogas capture and composting. The document also compares production characteristics across key regions, noting that Southeast Asia has the highest yields and production volumes, while West Africa has the lowest.

• Greenhouse gas emissions from palm oil production vary significantly, ranging from -0.3 to over 20 kgCO2e/kg CPO, with an estimated average of 6 kgCO2e/kg CPO.
• Land-use change (LUC) is a primary driver of emissions, with the footprint for LUC averaging between 2 and 4 kgCO2e/kg CPO, though it can exceed 100 kgCO2e/kg CPO in some cases.
• Palm oil produced on peat soils is exceptionally carbon-intensive; conversion and yearly emissions can reach 36 kgCO2e/kg CPO, while global average emissions from peat are approximately 1.3 kgCO2e/kg CPO.
• Untreated palm oil mill effluent (POME) degradation releases between 1 and 2 kgCO2e/kg CPO, but treatment via methane flaring or electricity generation can reduce this to 0.5 or 0.1 kgCO2e/kg CPO, respectively.
• Regional productivity varies, with Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia, and Papua New Guinea) exhibiting the highest yields, while West Africa (Cameroon and Nigeria) has the lowest.
• Mitigation potential is highest for preventing deforestation and peatland development, while managing water tables in farmed peatlands could reduce emissions by up to 15 tCO2e/ha/yr.
• Smallholder farms typically have higher emissions intensity than commercial plantations due to lower yields and a higher prevalence of land clearing by burning.

APA

Patel, S. S., Intveld, A., Seeyave, E., Moberg, E., & Barreiro, V. (2022). Measuring and Mitigating GHGs: Palm Oil. WWF International. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/185/1l7ynjrq3a_MOBERG_GHG_Brief_PALM_OIL_08_22_v3.pdf

Chicago

Patel, Seeta Salgia, Aviva Intveld, Evan Seeyave, Emily Moberg, and Virginia Barreiro. Measuring and Mitigating GHGs: Palm Oil. WWF International, 2022. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/185/1l7ynjrq3a_MOBERG_GHG_Brief_PALM_OIL_08_22_v3.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Patel |first1=Seeta Salgia |last2=Intveld |first2=Aviva |last3=Seeyave |first3=Evan |last4=Moberg |first4=Emily |last5=Barreiro |first5=Virginia |title=Measuring and Mitigating GHGs: Palm Oil |publisher=WWF International |date=19 September 2022 |url=https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/185/1l7ynjrq3a_MOBERG_GHG_Brief_PALM_OIL_08_22_v3.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{patel2022measuring, author = {Patel, Seeta Salgia and Intveld, Aviva and Seeyave, Evan and Moberg, Emily and Barreiro, Virginia}, title = {{Measuring and Mitigating GHGs: Palm Oil}}, institution = {WWF International}, year = {2022}, month = sep, url = {https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/185/1l7ynjrq3a_MOBERG_GHG_Brief_PALM_OIL_08_22_v3.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }