Ministry to issue guidelines on forest management
The Forestry Department of Peninsular Malaysia will issue guidelines on the jurisdiction of state governments in managing forests in their own states, said Water, Land and Natural Resources Minister Dr Xavier Jayakumar.The Malaysian Insight , 18 June 2019
Malaysia, Timber, forest management SETTING THE BIODIVERSITY BAR FOR PALM OIL CERTIFICATION
This report provides an overview of palm oil sustainability standards’ measures to stop biodiversity loss and restore habitat for biodiversity conservation. It highlights critical areas (particularly in standards’ biodiversity and level of assurance criteria) that need to be improved and recommends specific actions for palm oil buyers and investors.IUCN, 18 June 2019
, Palm Oil, palm oil certification, Palm oil Malaysia to Europe: Stop tarnishing palm oil
European countries that sell various goods to Malaysia can be asked to stop tarnishing the image of palm oil, says Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.The Leaders-Online, 18 June 2019
Malaysia, Palm Oil, palm oil ban RSPO scores higher than other sustainable palm oil standards according to new report
International Union for Conservation of Nature’s National Committee of the Netherlands (IUCN NL) released a report titled, Setting the Biodiversity Bar for Palm Oil Certification, which provides an overview of different palm oil sustainability standards’ measures to stop biodiversity loss and restore habitat for biodiversity conservation. It highlights critical areas (particularly in the certification standards’ biodiversity and level of assurance criteria) that need to be improved, and recommends specific actions for palm oil buyers and investors.RSPO, 18 June 2019
, Palm Oil, palm oil certification Norway sees sharp drop in palm oil biofuel consumption after ban on government purchasing
Norway saw drop in palm oil consumption following new regulations limiting sales in response to concerns about deforestation for plantations.South Africa Today, 18 June 2019
Norway, Palm Oil, biofuel Malaysia's Mahathir Mohamad blasts Britain over palm oil hypocrisy, asks about Robin Hood
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has defended the palm oil industry, accusing Western countries of double standards on the environment.Line Today, 18 June 2019
Malaysia, Palm Oil, palm oil ban Citigroup Cancels Financing Of Indofood Over Palm Oil Labor Abuses
Citigroup has canceled all financing to Indonesian food giant and agribusiness company Indofood (INDF:IJ) following the company’s ousting from the leading palm oil certification scheme, the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). Indofood’s palm oil subsidiaries were dropped from the RSPO after failing to address over 20 violations of the RSPO standard, as well as 10 violations of Indonesian labor law, both of which were found on Indofood-owned palm oil plantations.Value Walk, 18 June 2019
Indonesia, Palm Oil, labor exploitation Toshaos, loggers receive forest management training
Toshaos and loggers are now better equipped to manage Guyana’s forests, having attended a training workshop for those in administrative and managerial positions held at the National Toshaos Council on Hadfield Street, Georgetown from June 12 to 14. The workshop, which concluded on Saturday, was aimed at ensuring adherence to the European Union Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade (EU-FLEGT) process.The World News, 17 June 2019
Guyana, Timber, VPA, FLEGT 3Novices:Malaysia PM Mahathir takes aim at international community over anti-palm oil narrative
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on Monday (Jun 17) hit out at the international community’s negative perceptions of the palm oil industry, while stating that palm oil cultivation has not affected his country’s ecosystem.3 Novices Asia, 17 June 2019
Malaysia, Palm Oil, palm oil ban Reclaiming Nigeria’s leadership in global palm oil industry
The renewed push is aimed at restoring Nigeria’s status as a global powerhouse in palm oil production and export. The exploration of opportunities in the palm oil value chain may have also opened a fresh vista for the newly inaugurated state governments particularly in the South-South and South-East regions to boost their revenues and create jobs.O&G Links, 17 June 2019
Nigeria, Palm Oil, palm oil 100 percent sustainable palm oil is possible, claim European suppliers as 2020 targets loom
Europe’s food manufacturers and retailers need to choose certified sustainable palm oil instead of backing messages to drop palm oil altogether. That is the assertion from the European Palm Oil Alliance (EPOA) which has joined forces with other industry associations, stakeholder companies, and civil society bodies, to urge all European stakeholders to get behind the Sustainable Palm Oil Choice (SPOC) initiative.Food Ingredients First, 17 June 2019
Europe, Palm Oil, 2020 targets Environmentalists put more pressure on Cargill to slow forest-to-farm movement in Brazil
Environmental groups want the Minnetonka, Minn.-based grain trader and food processor to intervene in the clearing of habitats in the Cerrado region of central and southern Brazil, particularly for soybean production, as it did previously in the Amazon region in that country's north.Phys.org, 16 June 2019
Brazil, Soy, cerrado, native vegetation 50 million hectares destroyed as companies disregard zero deforestation pledge
Greenpeace International’s report Countdown to Extinction, comes as a thousand CEOs and senior managers of global brands gather in Vancouver for the Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) global summit. In 2010, CGF members – the world’s largest consumer brands, including Nestlé, Mondelez and Unilever – promised to end deforestation by 2020 through “responsible sourcing” of cattle, palm oil, soya and other commodities. With just 200 days to go and their imminent failure to satisfy their commitments, forest protection and the climate crisis are not even on their agenda.Palm Oil Magazine, 15 June 2019
, Palm Oil, Timber, IC-CEPA, Indonesia-Chile Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement Malaysia-China ties go beyond common diplomatic relations, set to grow stronger: Malaysian FM
He mentioned that when Malaysia was facing the problem in selling palm oil, the country's major commodities, to Europe, China added the volume of purchase of palm oil from Malaysia. "When some countries in the West go against Huawei, Malaysia reciprocated by saying 'No, we will continue using Huawei'," he said.Global Times, 15 June 2019
Malaysia, Palm Oil, trade agreement Cocoa and palm oil scheme launched in Liberia
Solidaridad Liberia and the Embassy of the Netherland in Monrovia have launched a Cocoa Rehabilitation & Intensification Programme (CORIP) and Sustainable West Africa Oil Palm Programme (SWAPP) aimed at improving their production by local farmers.APA-Monrovia News, 15 June 2019
Liberia, Palm Oil, Sustainable West Africa Oil Palm Programme , SWAPP Uganda: Why South Sudan Cattle Rustlers Keep Terrorising Northern Uganda
When Uganda and South Sudan leaders agreed in March to work together to stop cattle rustling, illegal logging and smuggling of goods, it was news good enough to revive hope, especially among the people who live along the borderline between the two countriesAll Africa, 15 June 2019
Uganda, Timber, Beef, cattle rustling, Illegal logging, Yei River State Cargill says food industry will miss zero deforestation goal
Grains trader Cargill Inc said on Thursday it and the broader food industry will fail to meet the goal of eliminating deforestation by 2020 and pledged to do more to protect forests and native vegetation in Brazil.Reuters, 14 June 2019
, Soy, deforestation Teresa Kok: More funds, research needed to counter West’s anti-palm oil campaign
The Primary Industries and Commodities Ministry is in need of more money in order to conduct in-depth research on the benefits of palm oil to counter a worldwide misperception and campaign against it, especially those in western nations.Malay Mail, 14 June 2019
Malaysia, Palm Oil, palm oil research Cargill pledges more cash to fight deforestation after admitting industry target unlikely to be met
US agri-food giant Cargillhas admitted that a goal to end deforestation by 2020 is unlikely to succeed.Just-Food, 14 June 2019
Brazil, Soy, cerrado ‘Mr. Green’: British environmentalist is Gabon’s new forestry minister
This is the challenge facing Lee White, a green activist born in Britain, who this week was named minister of water and forests in Gabon.Independent, 14 June 2019
Gabon, Timber, forestry minister RSPO tops in IUCN NL palm oil sustainability certification comparision
A new benchmark report published by IUCN NL helps companies and governments move towards sustainable palm oil, by providing insight into the quality and in the level of assurance of sustainability standards for palm oil.Bloomberg, 14 June 2019
, Palm Oil, palm oil production 3,000 people form a human chain in protest of illegal logging in Ocuilan
Given the indifference of the authorities for curbing the illegal and indiscriminate felling of trees, which has led to the disappearance of approximately 3 percent of the forest each year, more than three thousand people from different localities made a human chain throughout the municipality.The Mazatlan Post, 14 June 2019
Mexico, Timber, deforestation, Illegal logging, forest fire IFA Says Supporting Mercosur Deal Would be Reckless for Ireland
IFA President Joe Healy has called on the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar to intervene at the highest levels in Brussels to stop a bad EU-Mercosur trade deal, which would do untold damage to Ireland's €3bn beef and livestock sector.The Cattle Site, 14 June 2019
Ireland, Beef, mercosur agreement Trade deal with Mercosur is No. 1 priority: EU trade chief
Cargill chief executive officer Dave MacLennan announced this week that the company is committing $30 million in seed funding to find solutions to protect forests and native vegetation in Brazil, urgently calling on the industry – competitors, customers and others – to help accelerate the progress.Feedstuffs, 14 June 2019
, Soy, cerrado, 2020 targets PNG and Solomons’ governments call for changes to forestry
Both the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea governments have signalled changes to make their forestry industries more sustainable.Evening Report, 14 June 2019
Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Palm Oil, Illegal logging, deforestation