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Troublemakers, Greenpeace and Palm Oil |
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Written by Jon Tomczyk
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Monday, 17 November 2008 |
 When environmentalist Kevin Dunion decided to write a book on what he perceives is environmental justice in Scotland, he chose the rather curious title “Troublemakers”, which Dunion alleges, is how most environmentalists are perceived by the world at large.
This unsavory reputation is so all-pervasive that it is difficult for the environmental movement to shake it off. In the view of the Palm Oil Truth Foundation, the common juxtaposition between the words “environmentalist” and “troublemaker” is not entirely misplaced, because the actions of environmental organizations like the grossly misnamed Greenpeace and the Friends of the Earth (FOE) leads us to the irresistible conclusion that many environmental organizations indeed are, “troublemakers”! Is it the water that they drink or is the air that they breathe so stuffy and polluted that their brains are rendered incapable of rational thought?
In a time when the world calls out for cool and rational discussion, Greenpeace stirs the cauldron, a tendency they proved in a particularly grotesque way recently when they issued a statement accusing United Plantations (UP) of violating the letter and spirit of the tenets laid down by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO).(i)
To issue a statement -- so drained of factual accuracy as to constitute a lie -- would be a shameless act at any time. But Greenpeace needlessly attempted to stir the fears of the few they hold in their thrall -- making the commendable efforts of UP to produce palm oil in a sustainable way, sound like blatant tokenism. Shameless!
Greenpeace filleted UP’s palm oil growing practices, in a way that exposed their penchant for grandstanding. The way Greenpeace seized upon every little misstep of UP in acquiring SSS 1 & 2 estates in Indonesia and yet conveniently ignored another aspect of UP’s record – their history of compliance with the principles of sustainable development, is a sad reflection of Greenpeace’s predilection for bare-knuckle troublemaking!
At issue is the first 500 tons of palm oil shipment from UP to Rotterdam which has been certified by the RSPO as sustainable. Despite meeting the rigorous standards set by the RSPO to earn the sustainability certification, this shipment still became the target of the perennial troublemakers, Greenpeace. Alleging that the shipment did not meet the RSPO’s standards, Greenpeace attempted, in their usual amateurish and inexpert fashion to cast aspersions on the sustainable practices of UP. In a detailed response, UP exposed in a calm and proficient manner, the fallacy and inaccuracy of Greenpeace’s allegations, which is not exactly a difficult task considering the Greenpeace’s “report’s predilection for falsehoods and equivocations. (ii)
For instance, Greenpeace’s alleged that UP had violated Principle 7 Criterion 7.3 of the RSPO, since no High Conservation Value (HCV) assessment was carried out for United Plantations on PT SSS1, a parcel of land in Indonesia acquired by UP. UP pointed out that contrary to Greenpeace’s allegation, a HCV assessment was indeed completed for the Runtu property of PT SSS1 on 21st January 2008 subsequent to the main assessment announcement posted on the RSPO web-site in January 2008. In their response, UP observed dryly that “had Greenpeace consulted United Plantations prior to making the report, we would have gladly made available the Comprehensive HCV report prepared by the relevant Indonesian experts.”
The real reason for Greenpeace’s and FOE’s intransigence towards palm oil can be gleaned from this Freudian slip in their statements: “Palm oil is the world’s most important category of vegetable oil. In 2007, palm plantations yielded more than 38 million tonnes of oil, making it one of the world’s biggest commodity products. In Europe, palm oil is now used as an ingredient in a large variety of consumer products, including margarine, ice cream, chocolate, detergents, soap and biscuits.” (iii)
Perhaps Greenpeace and the rest of the “troublemaker environmentalists” intent on poisoning the soil before sustainable palm oil can take root might consider the alternative that may not be too palatable to them – a world without sustainable palm oil would still be a world filled with palm oil. It is sufficiently apparent that palm oil’s inherent healthful qualities and price competitiveness will ensure its continued popularity with food manufacturers and its consequent inexorable export growth will continue, despite the best efforts of Greenpeace and others of their ilk to rein it in, for reasons best known to them! THE END.
References
(i) http://redapes.org/palm-oil/greenpeace-first-sustainable-palm-oil-shipment-not-sustainable/
(ii) http://www.unitedplantations.com/Files/PDF/UP_Response_to_Greenpeace.pdf
(iii) http://redapes.org/palm-oil/greenpeace-first-sustainable-palm-oil-shipment-not-sustainable/
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Oil palm companies are so oily to feed jobless troublemakers. They said that in Borneo oil palm burn 15 million ha of rainforest! In fact, total area cultivated by oil palm not more than 2 million ha in Borneo. What and why about 13 m ha the rest? Why just 2 m ha to be blamed? Because palm oil companies have money, so they can be robbed by several issues: forest destruction, land occupation etc. They also write a proposal to seek money to donors.... after that, the troublemakers buy some sophisticated laptop, have a cocktail party and traveling around the world for seminar's speaker. If the cash is empty? start to write a new proposal that blame palm oil companies... etc. etc. oh poor. Posted by Triyanto Sagisoemarto, on November 22, 2008 at 13:17
I've always disliked conspiracy theories, but I have to admit, you present a compelling case! Definitely sharing this with some friends. Posted by Elaine, on November 19, 2008 at 8:45
Chill Sitting Bull. Take an anger pill. Posted by Zak, on November 17, 2008 at 14:21
Yep, the actions of Greenpeace & FOE ring kinda stupid! Their rep. have been toast, for some time now. Ya bet that everyone I come across will learn of their stinking MO from me. Posted by Sitting Bull, on November 17, 2008 at 14:20
Fitting description - 'troublemakers'! Great essay. Posted by Karl, on November 17, 2008 at 5:55
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Troublemakers, Greenpeace and Palm Oil 
