THE PALM OIL SUBSTITUTE THAT’S SETTING THE WORLD ON FIRE

Despite the global pandemic, forest losses in the tropics increased by 12% between 2019 and 2020, according to a satellite-based survey by Global Forest Watch. The losses in 2020 alone were roughly the size of Colorado and represented growth of 7% over the prior year. The main drivers were uncontrolled fires and the expansion of agriculture into formerly forested land. The greatest losses occurred in Brazil, where much of the land clearance was illegal. The world’s most widely consumed food oil—palm oil—has long been blamed for slash-and-burn fires that free up more land for cultivation as well as human rights abuses. Because of a growing awareness of the problems, imports for palm oil have recently been dropping in Europe and are stagnant in the U.S. A popular alternative among those aware of the situation is coconut oil. Both tree species are problematic, however, because they grow in tropical regions where biodiversity is high. There are arguments in favor of coconuts: In addition to oil, they also yield milk, cream, and water, and activated charcoal is a byproduct, while oil palms basically produce only oil. From a health standpoint, both oils are high in saturated fats. But what really sets coconut oil production apart is that it affects 20 threatened plant and animal species per million liters, compared with 4 species for palm oil according to a recent study. Researchers warn a lack of objective guidance on how crop production impacts the environment diminishes consumers’ ability to make informed purchase decisions. Lead study author Erik Meijaard of the Borneo Futures consultancy says, “Many consumers think of coconut products as healthy and their production relatively harmless for the environment. It turns out we need to think again about the impacts of coconut.” WHAT TO LOOK FOR: Make an effort to choose wisely and ethically. Try to buy coconut oil that is certified by the Fair Trade Sustainability Alliance. If you buy products that are made with palm oil, look for certification from the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) or the Palm Oil Innovation Group (POIG).