How an everyday ingredient used in chocolate, soap, biscuits and mayo is driving the orangutans to the brink of extinction
FIGHT TO END ‘DIRTY’ PALM OIL & SAVE FORESTS
EVERY time we shampoo, eat a chocolate bar or spread our toast with peanut butter we could be helping to push orangutans to the brink of extinction.
Tropical rainforests across South East Asia, home to the critically endangered apes, are under threat from the continuing demand for palm oil.
The cheap fat is found in over half of supermarket products including confectionary, soap, mayonnaise, biscuits, cosmetics and breakfast cereals.
Since the industrial revolution, when it was used as a steam engine lubricant, it has been imported as a multi-purpose oil. Its high melting point lends itself to a variety of uses. Now, as the cheapest of mass-produced vegetable fats, it can be found in most supermarket aisles – contributing to large-scale deforestation and animal habitat destruction.
A decade ago, major buyers of the oil – including Unilever, Nestle and Cadbury owner Mondelez – buckled to pressure from Greenpeace and agreed to stop sourcing it from suppliers responsible for deforestation by 2020.
But the environmental charity says changes are not happening quickly enough, and urged manufacturers to act now to stop any more destruction.
Today Greenpeace launches a new campaign backed by celebrities including actress Emma Thompson, presenter Stephen Fry, singer Bryan Adams and model Jodie Kidd.
Greenpeace UK chief John Sauven said: “A decade ago we persuaded brands to sign global commitments to drop dirty palm oil from their products by 2020 – but with just 500 days to go, their progress is pitiful.
“Orangutans have been pushed to the very brink of extinction, indigenous peoples’ lives are threatened and climate change is accelerating.
“It is no exaggeration to say that keeping these forests intact is vital for all life on Earth.
“We aim to bring this urgent message to millions more people.
“If we all act together, then we can force brands to keep their promises and end deforestation for good.”
In Indonesia and Malaysia, many species are being threatened with extinction, including the orangutan, which is already critically endangered.
Recent studies show that Bornean orangutan numbers more than halved between 1999 and 2015 at a rate of 25 a day, with only 70,000 to 100,000 remaining.
Orangutans spend 95% of their lives in the trees, but Indonesia’s forests are disappearing at the rate of one football pitch-size area every 25 seconds. Their homes are destroyed as trees are cleared to produce palm oil.
Earlier this year Iceland became the first UK supermarket to cut palm oil from its own-brand food – 130 lines in total, reducing demand by more than 500 tonnes per year.
Half of its products have already replaced palm oil with alternative fats, including sunflower oil and butter.
Managing director Richard Walker said the company did not believe there was any verifiably sustainable palm oil on the mass market, and so was removing it all together.
He said: “Until Iceland can guarantee palm oil is not causing rainforest
destruction, we are simply saying ‘no o palm oil’.”
However, Richard George of Greenpeace insisted ethical palm oil does xist. He said “The oil is made from he fruit of an oil palm tree, so once rees are planted they will produce harvests over several years if cared or. You don’t have to cut down the rees and replant to make more.
“Companies can buy ‘identified preserved’ palm oil which means it
an be traced from the an ethical plantation – which is by far the best.
“The sad truth is these products exist yet brands are not prepared to pay for them.”
Using this ethical palm oil would also help protect jobs – vital for countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia, which have grown their economies through its production.
This being the case, how do those countries encourage locals not to set up new farms when they are such a good way to provide for their families?
I witnessed some of the government’s initiatives last year on a trip to the Malaysian section of Borneo.
Here locals are encouraged to set up eco-lodges, which help to attract international tourism, which in turn would create jobs.
The diversity of the wildlife I witnessed was incredible. The rainforest teamed full of colourful kingfishers, while proboscis monkeys swung from the trees. Orangutans had also been spotted there – which would surely attract even more visitors.
But without protecting their habitats, wonderful sights like this will not be possible for future generations.
To highlight the destruction, Dame Emma Thompson, 59, has teamed up with Greenpeace to narrate a powerful, 90-second animation called Rang-tan, released today.
It tells the story of baby orangutan Rang-tan as she causes mischief in a little girl’s bedroom.
Just as the girl is about to banish her, she asks Rang-tan what brought her there. Rang-tan’s memories are harrowing. They show her forest home destroyed, trees burning, huge machines hacking others to the ground and her mother lying injured. Greenpeace urged Mirror readers to help save the habitat by signing their petition. The group said: “The more noise we make about the problem, the less manufacturers will be able to sweep it under the carpet.” To sign the petition go to: greenpeace. org.uk/rangtanpetition. To watch the video see mirror.co.uk.
Keeping these forests intact is vital for all life on Earth JOHN SAUVEN BOSS OF GREENPEACE UK