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The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) analyzed 40 major US brands across the packaged food, personal care, fast food, and store-brand sectors to assess their palm oil sustainability commitments. While 21 of 30 companies previously scored in 2014 improved their practices, the report finds a wide disparity in leadership, with the packaged food sector leading and the fast food sector performing the worst. Despite an increase in corporate pledges, 32 of 40 companies lack adequate commitments to ensure transparency and traceability in their supply chains, and none of the 40 companies are currently sourcing 100 percent deforestation-free and peat-free palm oil.

The report links the expansion of the palm oil industry in Southeast Asia to the use of fire for land preparation, which frequently results in uncontrollable landscape fires. These fires, particularly those on drained peatlands, release hazardous particulate matter that causes an estimated 110,000 deaths annually in the region. The document highlights the exacerbating role of climate-driven droughts and the significant economic losses in tourism and industry, while calling for a global shift toward deforestation-free and peat-free palm oil production.

The report argues that the AFOLU sector, which accounts for approximately 24% of global warming pollution, offers significant potential to close the emissions gap. By analyzing eight major emitters—the United States, Indonesia, China, India, Brazil, the European Union, Mexico, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo—the authors find that median mitigation potentials for these countries could cover 76% of the 2020 emissions gap and 44% of the 2030 gap. The report emphasizes a combination of supply-side production efficiencies and demand-side consumption changes, such as reducing beef consumption and food waste, to achieve these reductions.

The document outlines the context for Manitoba's transition to a new climate change and green economy plan, highlighting the province's emissions profile and the critical role of peatlands. It identifies transportation and agriculture as the largest emission sources and discusses the potential for peatlands to either sequester carbon or release GHGs depending on management. The paper also reviews climate policies in other jurisdictions and proposes principles for the new provincial strategy, emphasizing the integration of adaptation and mitigation.

The report finds that AFOLU mitigation potentials for eight major emitters—the United States, Indonesia, China, India, Brazil, the European Union, Mexico, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo—could reduce the 2020 emissions gap by approximately three-fourths and the 2030 gap by nearly half. The United States has the highest individual potential at 23 Gt CO2eq, while Indonesia, China, and India also show substantial potentials between 0.75 and 1.75 Gt. These potentials are derived from three primary activities: reducing emissions from deforestation and peatland clearing, decreasing agricultural emissions (such as methane and nitrous oxide), and increasing carbon sequestration through reforestation and ecosystem restoration.

The report evaluates 30 companies on their palm oil sourcing policies, finding that while some leaders like Nestlé and Unilever have strong commitments, many others rely on inadequate RSPO standards or have no commitments at all. It highlights the severe climate impact of palm oil production, particularly in Indonesia and Malaysia, where peatland drainage and forest clearing release massive amounts of carbon dioxide. The authors argue for a new industry standard requiring traceable, deforestation-free, and peat-free palm oil to protect biodiversity and mitigate global warming.

The report identifies China as highly vulnerable to palm oil supply disruptions due to its 98% import dependence and the concentration of production in Malaysia and Indonesia. It highlights critical sustainability risks, particularly deforestation, biodiversity loss, and greenhouse gas emissions, which pose both reputational risks to enterprises and systemic risks to national supply security. The document recommends five policy steps for the Chinese government, including building embassy capabilities, engaging with international standards, exploring fiscal incentives, implementing green public procurement, and integrating supply chain risk into corporate social responsibility guidelines.

A briefing by the World Resources Institute (WRI) calling for ASEAN leadership to address recurring fires and haze, using high-resolution satellite data from Riau Province to highlight the scale of illegal burning on peatlands and within company concessions.

The report finds that EU biofuel policies have significantly increased palm oil consumption, with the biofuels sector accounting for 80% of the total increase in EU palm oil use between 2006 and 2012. It argues that the low cost and high yield of palm oil make it a 'marginal vegetable oil' that replaces domestic feedstocks like rapeseed. The authors warn that without reducing subsidies for food-based biofuels, the EU will likely see a 40% increase in palm oil consumption by 2020, potentially exacerbating deforestation and carbon emissions in tropical forests and peatlands.

The document outlines a framework for businesses to eliminate tropical deforestation from their supply chains through public pledges, transparent sourcing, and the promotion of sustainable goods. It identifies palm oil, wood/paper, and meat (specifically beef) as key drivers of forest loss and provides sector-specific recommendations, such as strengthening RSPO standards for palm oil and reducing beef in processed meats to lower land-use pressure.

The study identifies significant community grievances in Central Kalimantan regarding water pollution and scarcity caused by oil palm plantations, including the release of Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) and the degradation of peatlands. It argues that current governance is failing due to a lack of trusted water data, conflicting land-use maps, and weak enforcement of environmental laws. Furthermore, it critiques the EU Renewable Energy Directive (EU-RED) for its 'water blindness,' focusing almost exclusively on greenhouse gas emissions while delegating local environmental protections to voluntary standards like the RSPO, which the study finds are inconsistently implemented.

The Suitability Mapper is a public online tool developed by the World Resources Institute (WRI) and Sekala to help stakeholders identify potentially suitable areas for sustainable oil palm cultivation in Kalimantan. It uses a binary analysis of 11 environmental and crop indicators to classify land as either 'potential' or 'not suitable'. The tool allows users to apply default settings based on Project POTICO—which align with RSPO standards and Indonesian law—or customize criteria to fit specific project needs. Because the underlying data has not been systematically verified, the document emphasizes that field assessments and due diligence regarding legal and social issues are mandatory to confirm site suitability.

The study found that dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations in UK peatlands decrease during drought due to acidification, as measured by acid neutralising capacity (ANC), rather than being primarily driven by soil biota.

The report analyzes how the rising demand for vegetable oils, particularly palm and soy, has led to significant tropical deforestation and carbon emissions. It argues that deforestation is not inevitable and suggests alternatives such as increasing crop yields, expanding onto degraded non-forest lands, and substituting high-risk oils with deforestation-free alternatives. The document also evaluates the role of biofuel mandates, sustainability certifications like the RSPO, and corporate commitments in mitigating environmental damage.

The report critiques the Kalimantan Forests and Climate Partnership (KFCP), a pilot REDD project funded by the Australian government. It argues that the project fails to protect indigenous rights, ignores the root causes of deforestation, and risks creating 'leakage' where emissions are simply displaced. The document highlights conflicts over land tenure among the Dayak people and criticizes the use of market-based carbon offsets as a way for developed nations like Australia to avoid reducing their own fossil fuel emissions.

The document details a community workshop with the Bloodvein First Nation to explore the links between the boreal environment and human well-being. Participants identified critical ecosystem services provided by muskeg (peatlands), reported significant declines in the availability of traditional foods and water quality, and suggested adaptation measures focused on intergenerational knowledge transfer and government communication.

The report examines ten indigenous carbon market projects across Canada, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and Mexico. It highlights diverse methodologies—including afforestation, avoided deforestation, and traditional fire management—to demonstrate how carbon revenues can support environmental, cultural, and economic goals. The document identifies systemic challenges such as a lack of federal policy, difficulties with third-party verification of tribal land governance, and the technical complexity of proving 'additionality'. It recommends participatory planning, the use of voluntary markets for 'co-benefits', and the development of indigenous-specific verification resources to ensure local ownership and sustainability.

The authors developed the MILLENNIA model to address shortcomings in global soil models, specifically the lack of long-term non-equilibrium soil organic carbon accumulation and dynamic hydrological processes. Unlike traditional C-pool models, MILLENNIA uses peat cohorts and variable water table depth to drive carbon dynamics. Validation against a UK peatland site demonstrates that the model's predictions for soil organic carbon accumulation and peat ages align well with observations.

The report finds that IOI Corporation is failing to meet its sustainability commitments in Ketapang, West Kalimantan. Evidence shows the company developed plantations without approved Environmental Impact Assessments, made fraudulent statements about physical activity on the ground, and encroached on permanent forests and peat lands. Additionally, the report notes a significant increase in fire hotspots in newly cleared areas and potential for land rights conflicts with local villagers.

The report examines the critical role of forests in regulating the global climate through carbon, water, and nitrogen cycles. It argues that while forests currently act as carbon sinks, rising temperatures—particularly above 23C—risk turning them into carbon sources. The text emphasizes the superior carbon storage of old-growth forests over plantations and highlights the extreme vulnerability of peatlands and tropical forests. It concludes that protecting existing forests and their soils is a more effective climate strategy than relying on reforestation or the uncertain phenomenon of 'carbon fertilization'.