Source: IPS News
By Marwaan Macan-Markar
KRABI, Jul 4 (IPS) - The new governor of this southern province has set his sights on another prize to add to its list of unique features. '’We are aiming to be the palm oil capital of Thailand,’’ says Siwa Sirisoawaluk who has been Krabi’s chief administrator for nine months.
He shares his ambition, standing within easy view of a grove of tall palm trees that produce the kind of bio-fuel that is increasingly in demand globally. These trees, locals say, were introduced some three decades ago and are found by roadsides along with the rubber trees that produce another valuable cash crop.
In the main, however, the area that Siwa presides over, is widely known for such attractive features as wide beaches washed by the Andaman Sea, spectacular limestone cliffs and nature trails through tropical forests.
Krabi’s oil palm plantations account for nearly 40 percent of the 320,000 hectares in Thailand where these trees are grown. Bangkok is hoping to have 1.6 million hectares under oil palm cultivation in the next two decades.
Krabi is expected to take the lead in the country’s oil palm expansion drive, adds Siwa. '’The supply here is not enough to cater to future demand. We want to remain the province having the largest oil palm plantations in Thailand.’’
It is a vision being advanced by officials at the ministry of energy, too. '’You save on oil imports, you help the local farmers growing the oil palm to get a better income and you help to improve the environment,’’ Panich Pongpirodom, director-general of the department of alternative energy development and efficiency, told IPS.
To make this case for the environment, the energy ministry confirmed that the estimated 10,000 petrol stations across the country have to convert by April next year for supplying bio-diesel for which palm oil is pivotal. Major car manufacturers such as Toyota, Honda and Mitsubishi '’have accepted our policy’’ to have regular fuel mixed with two percent of '’renewable fuel,’’ adds Panich.
Yet, as Thailand looks to the fortunes that palm oil offers other South-east Asian countries that are bigger players in the palm oil trade find themselves caught in an escalating debate.
Countries like Indonesia and Malaysia, two of the world’s leading producers of palm oil, are grappling with the question of exactly how green palm oil is. Environmentalists and grassroots groups are taking on governments in the developed and developing world and the private sector on this score.
Friends of the Earth International (FoEI), a global environmental lobby group, drove home this point Tuesday in a critical report about the devastating impact of palm oil plantations in Indonesia, where the government is planning to convert 20 million more hectares into palm oil plantations.
'’Wilmar, the world’s biggest trader in palm oil, is illegally logging rainforests, setting forests on fire and violating the rights of local communities in Indonesia,’’ charged the FoEI report.
And it pointed an accusing finger at European countries for contributing to such havoc on the Indonesian environment, since Europe has emerged as '’one of the world’s biggest oil importers, with palm oil used as an ingredient in many food products and cosmetics, and increasingly as a bio-fuel.’’
'’Europe’s growing demand for palm oil is leading to environmental and social devastation,’’ says Rully Syumanda, forest campaigner at FoEI’s Indonesia office. [..]
For the complete article, please see IPS News
Scientists across the globe are developing live dashboards to study the natural world in unprecedented detail - ushering in a new age of opportunities and ethical dilemmas.
Jair Bolsonaro, Brasil’s current de facto presidential frontrunner, says he would withdraw Brazil from the Paris Agreement if he wins the October election. The withdrawal of such an important developing country, home to the world’s largest rainforest, would deal a blow to international climate cooperation. Bolsorano’s opposition to the international pact has drawn criticism from the UN’s environment chief.
Until now, no one had seriously doubted that relations between the US and Europe, for all the difficulties and conflicts they have gone through, would continue safe and sound. Since Trump was elected as US President however, the atmosphere has changed. The re-nationalisation of the world order has gained speed and is making clear how far advanced global interdependencies have become. With global multilateralism in crisis, climate diplomacy could act as a new driving force.
There are only a few weeks to go before international and local leaders from states, regions, cities, businesses, investors and civil society travel to the Global Climate Action Summit in San Francisco to create a new wave of mobilization. As Earth is at risk of entering a situation of extreme conditions, those going must bring along more than just flowers in their hair.