And then there is the issue of the quality of the RSPO’s green label itself.
The roundtable’s standard only protects old-growth primary forests and deep peat swamps. But the trend among companies now is to swear off clearance of any tract of forest or carbon-rich peat soil.
Emma Lierley of Rainforest Action Network told Mongabay: “RAN seriously questions the legitimacy of the ‘certified sustainable’ palm oil on the market. The RSPO is inadequate as a standard, and cannot be trusted as a source of truly responsible palm oil — responsible palm oil being made without deforestation, the destruction of peatlands and the abuse of workers’ and human rights.” (read more)