What’s the problem?
The EU is the second biggest importer of palm oil from Indonesia. Indonesia is the world’s largest producer and exporter of palm oil, but this pre-eminence has come at a terrible price. Indonesia’s rainforests - the third largest in the world after the Amazon and Congo Basin – have disappeared at an alarming rate, driven largely by the expansion of palm oil plantations. The industry is also responsible for land grabs and wildlife destruction, including of endangered orangutans. Without sufficient provisions or enforcement mechanisms, CEPA is likely to intensify these pressures.
