Role of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) in Tropical Peatland Management

The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) was established in 2004 and is the premier global mechanism to facilitate sustainable production and use of palm oil. The RSPO has developed a set of environmental and social criteria which companies must comply with in order to produce Certified Sustainable Palm Oil (CSPO). The RSPO has more than 4000 members worldwide who represent all links along the palm oil supply chain. They have committed to produce, source and/or use sustainable palm oil certified by the RSPO. Oil palm is grown in the tropical region around the world with the majority in Southeast Asia but is expanding in Africa and Latin America. Approximately three million hectares (ha) (14%) out of a total of about 21.4 million ha (FAOSTAT 2017 FAOSTAT online database. http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data) of oil palm is cultivated on tropical peatlands—primarily in Indonesia and Malaysia. Assessments undertaken by RSPO have demonstrated that use of best management practices (BMPs), especially for water management, pest and diseases and fire prevention, is critical for responsible cultivation of oil palm. However, in the long term, cultivation on peatlands can lead to significant subsidence and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Since the beginning of its certification scheme in 2005, RSPO has discouraged extensive planting on peat and since 2018 has required a total halt in new plantations on peatlands by members, globally. RSPO and its members are actively supporting peatland conservation and rehabilitation as well as ensuring any existing plantations on peatlands are managed responsibly.