Ｗriter： Greenpeace
Author: Greenpeace
The challenge to stop unsustainable palm oil from destroying Indonesia’s pristine rainforests continues! Now, the world is asking the vandals to stop and protect pristine rainforests that are important to the climate and ecology. Looking back over the years, global efforts have succeeded in getting many large companies to distance themselves from deforestation.
The destruction of forests has caused serious harm to the original diverse and rich ecology of Indonesia's original rainforests. The Sumatran tiger's habitat has been severely destroyed. To date, there are only about 400 Sumatran tigers left in the wild, making them critically endangered. And your and my "close relatives", the orangutan, are also facing the plight of a drastic reduction in their habitat. In the past 15 years, the number of orangutans has dropped by half, and all three existing species are on the verge of extinction.
Despite the dire situation, there is still hope. Thanks to Greenpeace’s global supporters who have rallied to protect the rainforest and asked companies to use paper and palm oil that are sustainable and do not come from destroying the rainforest, and have achieved many milestones.
The following is a review of the progress of rainforest protection in each year.
Greenpeace’s efforts to protect Indonesia’s pristine rainforest have achieved significant results. Nestlé has pledged that palm oil derived from rainforest destruction will not be used in its supply chain in the future. Nestlé's commitment sends a clear message: destroying pristine tropical rainforests to obtain paper and palm oil for profit is no longer viable in the global market. Greenpeace is working together in 24 countries around the world to demand action from Nestlé. "Nestlé, spare the orangutans!" is the most successful online mobilization action in history, causing quite a stir on social media such as Facebook and Youtube. 250,000 people around the world joined the movement.
May 2010:
The clearing of virgin rainforest and peatlands has been temporarily suspended. The President of Indonesia announced that it would stop granting any licenses for "new leases for the transformation of natural forests and peatlands" within two years. It's a first step in the right direction, but it doesn't go far enough. The policy should be extended to all remaining rainforests, including those already granted permits.
February 2011:
Another milestone: Golden Agri-Resources (GAR), the world's second largest palm oil supplier, announced an ambitious new forest conservation policy and promised not to destroy forests and peatlands. In the future, plantation development on peatlands that store more than 35 tonnes of carbon per hectare will become intolerable.
November 2011:
Indonesian paper and packaging manufacturer "Asia Pulp and Paper" APP (Asia Pulp and Paper) needs to pay attention. Its business partners are leaving one after another. Many toy manufacturers, including LEGO, Mattel (Barbie manufacturer), and Hasbro, have joined the ranks of protecting the rainforest and stopped using company products that damage the Sumatran rainforest in Indonesia. Previously, a series of in-depth Greenpeace investigations, including independent paper testing, confirmed that the packaging boxes of Barbie and other toys contained mixed tropical hardwood pulp ingredients. We are launching a global campaign to end the use of packaging materials derived from deforestation. Greenpeace’s creative actions behind the “breakup” of Ken and Barbie have attracted widespread attention.
February 2013:
The "Asia Pulp and Paper" APP stops deforestation in the last remaining rainforests, effective immediately. APP is one of the largest pulp manufacturers in the world and the largest in Asia. The paper produced by the group is widely used in magazine printing, packaging paper, photocopying paper and toilet paper, and is sold to Indonesia, China and even the world. In Taiwan, toilet paper brands PASEO, VIRJOY, etc. are also sold.
May 2013:
Indonesia extended the moratorium, providing temporary protection of precious rainforests. This policy is important for ecologically important rainforests, but it is not sufficient. Because, large corporations still continue to be involved in destroying Indonesia’s rainforests.
June 2013:
The innovation organization POIG (the Palm Oil Innovation Group) was established, and Greenpeace was a member. This organization is co-organized by non-governmental organizations and business innovation groups to encourage companies to fulfill their environmental responsibilities and cooperate with communities. POIG's first step is to establish a credible independent certification model so that in the future, customers will be able to know whether the palm oil contained in products involves deforestation or comes from oil palm trees planted in peatlands. Producers who join the certification also commit to comply with strict palm oil production standards.
October 2013:
"Asia Pulp & Paper" APP takes its commitment to protecting the rainforest seriously. After making the commitment, and after six months of reviewing Greenpeace's progress report, the company has conscientiously implemented its new forest protection policy.
November 2013:
Multinational consumer goods company Unilever, Ferrero Rocher chocolate maker, and food company Mondelēz International have taken a good step forward. Among their respective procurement policies, Ferrero has set the most aggressive timetable and is expected to move towards sustainably produced palm oil in 2015, while Unilever and Mondelēz International plan to change in 2020.
December 2013:
Wilmar International, the world's largest palm oil trader, finally gave in to public pressure. On December 5, the world’s largest palm oil trader finally publicly promised that it would no longer destroy rainforests and peatlands or sell deforestation palm oil in the future.
January 2014:
L'Oreal keeps up with the rangers! The world's largest beauty and cosmetics group has an active rainforest protection program. By 2020, L'Oreal will ensure that unsustainable deforestation palm oil is eliminated from its products. Proposing a plan is a good first step, but it still needs to be implemented thoroughly to ensure that it is achieved before 2020.
March 2014:
Colgate-Palmolive, a well-known personal care products company, has strengthened its rainforest protection policy. Colgate has pledged to achieve full traceability of palm oil sources by 2015, but will have to wait until 2020 to fully implement strict forest and peatland protection practices and respect the rights of local communities to the land. Greenpeace further urged Colgate to step up its pace.
April 2014:
For months, nearly 400,000 Greenpeace supporters have called on global consumer goods company P&G Procter & Gamble to eliminate dirty palm oil from its products. In April, P&G officially responded and released new forest protection measures, stating that it would completely eliminate "deforestation palm oil" from the supply chain by the end of 2020.
July 2014:
Kao Group (KAO) has become the first consumer goods company in Asia to commit to a "no deforestation" policy. Kao has updated the company's "sustainable procurement policy" and pledged to strictly ensure that the sources of palm oil and paper products do not involve forest destruction.
February 2015:
Without the source of funding, the bad behavior of clearing the rainforest will no longer be able to continue. Spain's Santander, one of Europe's largest banks, has suspended loans to paper company Asia Pacific Resources Group (APRIL), which is responsible for deforestation. Previously, the global public participated in online signatures, directly emailed the bank's CEO, called its customer service department, and even went to the bank in person to find out. Half a month later, Santander responded: it would stop lending to APRIL and would not The repayment period of the existing loan will be extended.
June 2015:
"Asia Pacific Resources Group" (APRIL) is Indonesia's second largest pulp and paper company. On June 3, the company officially announced its new commitment to forest protection. At the same time, Royal Golden Eagle, the parent company of APRIL, stated that the sustainable forest management plan will also be followed by other pulp and paper companies in the group.
December 2015:
At the Climate Summit (COP21) in Paris, Greenpeace action members seized the opportunity to urge Indonesian President Joko Widodo face-to-face to take concrete measures to protect rainforests and peatlands. Behind the two action members are representatives of more than 250,000 rainforest defenders around the world who have signed the Greenpeace petition.
February 2017:
The pressure from 270,000 people around the world through the Indonesian Rainforest Protection Project has prompted HSBC, one of the world's largest banks, to join the Rainforest Protection camp: it will no longer provide funds to any company involved in clearing forests and destroying peatlands. HSBC has also strengthened its guidelines for cooperation with enterprises.
May 2017:
IOI, which supplies palm oil to more than 300 companies and is the world's third largest palm oil company, is committed to new policies to protect the rainforest. IOI promises to seek independent audits and verification on its performance in protecting forests and safeguarding the rights and interests of workers and communities. This commitment is not limited to palm oil plantations operated by IOI itself. In the future, any company that wants to sell palm oil to IOI must prove that it does not involve rainforest destruction.
December 2018:
In order to make real changes to this palm oil trader, which accounts for about 40% of the global market share, the global public will not give up. For months, Greenpeace volunteers have peacefully conveyed their demands from Wilmar International's refinery in Indonesia and from cargo ships carrying palm oil. Global Forest Guardians have also spoken out to demand that its major customer Mondelēz International (which includes well-known brands Oreo cookies) to fulfill the "no deforestation" commitment. In December, Wilmar proposed a specific action plan! This includes mapping the palm oil origins of all suppliers by 2019 and using high-resolution satellites to monitor whether deforestation is involved. Once deforestation occurs, Wilmar will immediately cease cooperation with the supplier.
In the past ten years, Indonesia has been the country with the largest loss of rainforest area in the world for many years. The destruction of rainforest by companies to produce pulp and palm oil is the biggest culprit of the disappearance of Indonesian forests.
Hundreds of well-known consumer brands and palm oil suppliers have pledged to no longer use and produce palm oil through "deforestation" by 2020. 2020 is the day when companies commit to protecting forests, and it is also the deadline for the United Nations to set sustainable development goals and achieve "no deforestation". It is very important to ensure that many companies take responsibility and keep their promises.
Whether it’s shampoo, chocolate or toothpaste, palm oil can be found in nearly half of the products on supermarket shelves. These product brands are all large companies such as Nestlé, Mondelez and Unilever. The palm oil used in these products involves the destruction of Indonesia's original rainforest. Join Greenpeace’s global campaign to demand that these large companies fulfill their commitments and stop using palm oil derived from deforestation!
