Q&A: Can palm oil ever be sustainable?

Mar 11, 2016

Palm oil fruits are seen placed on a wheelbarrow at a palm oil farm in Klang, outside Kuala Lumpur, February 19, 2014. Commodity giant Wilmar International is using its buying clout to push suppliers to be greener, or else, setting up a battle with growers and governments that have profited from their environmentally damaging practices. Given Singapore-listed Wilmar's muscle - its refineries process nearly half the world's palm oil - it could also drive up prices of the oil, used in cooking oil to cosmetics and biofuels, especially in price-sensitive India and China

Two of the world's largest palm oil companies have pledged to end deforestation. Is it working? Image: REUTERS/Samsul Said

Anna Kopacz

Project Manager, World Economic Forum

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