Posted on 14 July 2009
- Beijing, China – Major China-based producers
and users of palm oil have announced they
intend to provide more support for
sustainable palm oil, an important boost
for efforts to halt tropical deforestation.
The public statement,
made at the 2nd International Oil and Fats
Summit in Beijing on July 9, committed the
companies to “support the promotion, procurement
and use of sustainable palm oil in China,”
as well as “support the production of sustainable
palm oil through any investments in producing
countries.”
China is currently the
world’s largest importer of palm oil, accounting
for one third of all global trade. Increasing
demand for palm oil, which is used in everything
from soap to chocolate bars, is causing
considerable damage to fragile rainforest
environments, threatening endangered species
like tigers, and contributing to global
climate change.
Palm oil producers and
buyers making the statement included Wilmar
International, IOI Corperation, KLK Berhad,
Kulim Malaysia Berhad, Asia Agri., Premier
Foods PLC and Unilever PLC. Oxfam International,
TransAsia Lawyers, and Solidaridad China
were signatories.
“Given the massive of
volumes of palm oil now being purchased,
any move China makes towards using sustainable
palm oil will have a big influence on protecting
tropical forest resources in South East
Asia and other areas,” said WWF-China Country
Representative Dermot O’Gorman.
WWF helped set up the
international Roundtable on Sustainable
Palm Oil (RSPO) in 2004, with the aim of
establishing global standards for sustainable
palm oil production and promoting the use
of products containing sustainable palm
oil.
WWF-China first introduced
sustainable palm oil to Chinese companies
in 2004, and continues to encourage the
country’s buyers, producers, and traders
to participate in RSPO.
Sustainable palm oil
received a massive boost in November 2008
when Dr. Huo Jiangguo, President of China
Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export
of Foodstuffs and Native Produce, attended
the RSPO annual conference in Indonesia
and announced that China supported the drive
for more sustainable palm oil products.
“Industry in China acknowledges
that sustainability is one of the key criteria
of ensuring competence in the global market,”
said Dr. Bian Zhenghu, vice president of
the China Chamber of Commerce during his
opening address to the forum.
“The roundtable encourages
the entire industry chain to make a move
towards sustainability, and also gives Chinese
stakeholders a big opportunity to play a
significant role achieving the aims of RSPO,”
Dr. Bian said.
In conjunction with
the summit, CFNA and WWF China organized
a dialogue on promoting sustainable palm
oil in China. More than 100 participants
from government and industry attended the
summit. Representatives from Malaysia, Indonesia
and Europe presented findings on the growth
and impact of sustainable palm oil development
in key producing countries and trade regions.
At the conclusion, the names of pioneer
signatories to the Statement of Support
for promoting sustainable palm oil in China
were announced.
