Today in the European Parliament, MEPs have called for immediate action to ensure palm oil entering the EU’s market is fully sustainable.
The suggested measures include:
– A single palm oil certification scheme that guarantees only sustainably produced palm oil is sold in the EU.
-The development of an EU action plan to fight deforestation and forest degradation.
– An immediately recognisable sign for all products containing palm oil to confirm that they are sustainably certified.
– Phase out the use of unsustainable palm oil, or vegetable oils that specifically drive deforestation.
ALDE shadow rapporteur MEP Catherine Bearder said:
“It’s vital we put an end to the unsustainable production of palm oil, which has a grave impact on our climate and biodiversity. EU countries must act to ensure all palm oil entering the EU is 100% sustainable, is traceable back to the source and to ensure consumers know what they are buying.
“However, simply removing palm oil from all products on our supermarket shelves will not stop deforestation, which is why we have today called for all tropical oils which drive deforestation to also be phased out.”
“On the issue of biofuels, it is important to underline that we are only calling for the phasing out of oils that drive deforestation.”
