Reasons for everyone to switch to sustainable palm oil
I was thrilled to take on the role of President of the Italian Union for Sustainable Palm Oil at the start of this year. Leading Confindustria trade associations, as well as domestic and international businesses involved in palm oil-using product sectors, came together to form the Union in 2015. It is committed to encouraging businesses to utilize sustainable palm oil and seeks to disseminate initiatives meant to increase awareness among interested parties.
In addition, we plan conferences, events, and campaigns and advocate for and fund studies and research on sustainable palm oil by scientists. Additionally, we promote cooperation across participants in the sustainable palm oil supply chain, under the guidance of a competent Scientific and Technical Committee.
My efforts will be directed toward enhancing the association’s standing as a preferred conduit to important institutions and as a reliable, approved source of factual information on a supply chain that has significantly improved its sustainability in recent years. I think this advancement can make a big difference in accomplishing the goals of sustainable development and assisting in the fight against climate change if it is handled wisely.
In order to establish more transparent and traceable supply chains, we plan to bring together institutions, the retail sector, the consumer goods business, and the general public in the upcoming years. We also want to stand up for and support all the good organizations that support our goals as well as the UN 2030 Agenda and the Paris Climate Accords.
We will launch campaigns to increase public awareness and promote a market shift toward complete environmental, social, and economic sustainability in partnership with environmental and social non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other institutions.
Additionally, I think it’s critical to raise everyone’s understanding of the value of sustainable palm oil and all of its advantages. For instance, not everyone is aware that the greenhouse gas emissions of sustainable palm oil are 2.5–6 times lower than those of alternative vegetable oils (soy, rapeseed, sunflower, and conventional palm oil). Furthermore, most research indicates that adopting sustainable production standards is critical to improving local communities’ lifestyles and economies in the developing nations where it is produced, in addition to protecting our environments.
According to international certification criteria, such those supported by RSPO (the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil), at least 95% of imported palm oil in Italy’s food market is currently certified sustainable. As a result, Italy leads the way in providing sustainable palm oil to the European market, and we have no doubt that this honorable route—which is devoted to raising consumer awareness and encouraging adherence to sustainable development goals—will not be broken.
The world’s largest sunflower-growing nation, Ukraine, is currently experiencing war-related tensions in the vegetable oil market. As a result, companies that have recently decided to stop using palm oil will have to find alternative sources of oil to deal with the inevitable decrease in market supply and the depletion of available stocks.
In the unlikely event that businesses decide to resume using palm oil or select it as a new option, we genuinely hope that the Union’s efforts will not hinder the outstanding outcomes that have already been attained.
Since certified sustainable palm oil is now the only and best option available to replace conventional palm oil in terms of social and environmental sustainability, I hope that any additional palm oil supplies will only include this type of oil.
Leading NGOs and respected academic and scientific professionals share this conviction, which will serve as the main theme of the Italian Union for Sustainable Palm Oil’s upcoming initiatives.