Conservation International’s Sustainable Palm Oil Approach

Palm oil is the most widely used vegetable oil in the world. It’s extremely versatile and incredibly efficient – oil palm trees produce up to 10 times more oil per hectare than any other crop. I​t’s no surprise that global demand for palm oil has more than doubled in the last 10 years. But while this exceptional growth has provided work for millions of producers, it has also posed unprecedented threats to local people and wildlife, especially in Indonesia and Malaysia, where 85% of the world’s oil palm is grown. Deforestation, draining and planting oil palm on peat lands, and land disputes with rural communities have all been major consequences of the global palm oil boom.

Conservation International (CI) recognizes that palm oil itself is not the enemy and that it can be produced sustainably. Yet despite progress, the negative impacts associated with palm oil persist. That’s why CI is working urgently to address these issues and to promote solutions that benefit people and nature.