Palm oil has been the subject of much criticism and debate for many years: firstly because tropical rainforests are being cleared for palm oil production, threatening biodiversity, and secondly because in many cases the inhabitants are being driven off their land. The situation has worsened since palm oil has been used not only for food but also for bioenergy production.
For more than 10 years we have been developing recommendations for a number of different actors on how palm oil can be produced more sustainably in the future – for the German government, the WWF, the European Commission, UNEP and the Malaysian Palm Oil Council, among others.
Guido Reinhardt
PhD Mathematician, Chemist, Biologist
Scientific Director
+49 (0)6221 4767 31
guido.reinhardt@ifeu.de
Nils Rettenmaier
Dipl. Geoecology
+49 (0) 6221 4767 24
nils.rettenmaier@ifeu.de
COSMOS
COSMOS aims at reducing the dependence on imported coconut and palm kernel oils and fatty acids and on castor oil as sources for medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA, C10–C14) and medium-chain polymer…
Ecological Effects of using Palm Oil as a Source of Energy
In this project, ifeu analysed the ecological effects of the use of palm oil as a source of energy and identified optimization potenatial.
Environmental and Socio-Economic Assessment of Stationary Energetic Use of Imported Biofuels: The Case of Palm Oil
The study analyses the characteristics of palm oil, possibilities of using it for energy as well as the environmental, economic and social consequences thereof.