Asian Age: EU to Ban Palm Oil in Biodiesel

Palm oil transformed from an alternative energy that could reduce carbon emissions to an eco-nightmare and mass burning of rainforest habitat to make room for more plantations: “One of the biggest issues raised was that using palm oil for biodiesel is an inefficient use of agricultural land,” notes Sudheer Mopperthy for the Asian Age. Likewise the European Union went form a pledge that 10 percent of transport fuels would rely on such plants – wth almost half of all palm oil shipped to Europe for making biodiesel – to announcing a ban on palm oil in biodiesel by 2020. Mopperthy anticipates the ban to contribute to oversupply and dropping prices with economic consequence for small farmers in the countries who rely on palm oil production. He anticipates the governments paying subsidies for farmers that “could have instead been spent on restoring the natural resources and rainforests.” Restoring rainforests would protect local economies and the planet, and Mopperthy urges planning and investment by government leaders for a smooth transition. – YaleGlobal