Palm oil production is driving deforestation, especially in Indonesia and Malaysia. As a result, the forests’ endangered wildlife, including orangutans, are being killed while tons of CO2 are being released into the atmosphere.
What’s driving this? 51% of all the palm oil imported into Europe is used to make biodiesel for our cars and trucks. The EU subsidises it as a “green biofuel”, even though it’s actually three times worse for the climate than regular diesel.
The EU Parliament has voted to stop promoting palm oil in biodiesel as a “green fuel”. On 1 February 2019 the European Commission can and should follow the parliament’s lead - and make this vote a reality.
If it does so, Europe could cut its palm oil consumption in half.
Tell the European Commission: No palm oil in my tank!
Why is this coming to a head now? Last May, close to 100,000 Europeans pushed the EU to adopt a breakthrough law to stop subsidising food crops like palm oil in biodiesel that are a ‘high risk’ for the climate.
The green energy law requires ‘high risk’ biofuels like palm oil to be phased out, mandates oil companies to be transparent about biofuels use, and puts an overall cap on biofuels produced from food crops.
But unless the European Commission carries out the decision with a legal act by 1 February 2019, biofuel lobbyists could pressure the EU to keep dirty palm oil in our tanks for many more years.
Together, we can reduce demand for palm oil biofuels and push palm oil-producing countries to get serious about ending deforestation.
Tell the European Commission: No palm oil in my tank!
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More information
The Guardian. 10 May 2018.
Transport & Environment. 6 June 2018.