Slowing deforestation in Indonesia follows declining oil palm expansion and lower oil prices
Gaveau, David L. A. (The TreeMap)
Locatelli, Bruno (Université Montpellier)
Salim, Mohammad A. (The TreeMap)
Husnayaen, None (The TreeMap)
Manurung, Timer (Auriga Nusantara)
Descals, Adrià (Centre de Recerca Ecològica i d'Aplicacions Forestals)
Angelsen, Arild (Norwegian University of Life Sciences. School of Economics and Business)
Meijaard, Erik (University of Kent. Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology)
Sheil, Douglas (Wageningen University)

Date:	2022
Abstract:	Much concern about tropical deforestation focuses on oil palm plantations, but their impacts remain poorly quantified. Using nation-wide interpretation of satellite imagery, and sample-based error calibration, we estimated the impact of large-scale (industrial) and smallholder oil palm plantations on natural old-growth ("primary") forests from 2001 to 2019 in Indonesia, the world's largest palm oil producer. Over nineteen years, the area mapped under oil palm doubled, reaching 16. 24 Mha in 2019 (64% industrial; 36% smallholder), more than the official estimates of 14. 72 Mha. The forest area declined by 11% (9. 79 Mha), including 32% (3. 09 Mha) ultimately converted into oil palm, and 29% (2. 85 Mha) cleared and converted in the same year. Industrial plantations replaced more forest than detected smallholder plantings (2. 13 Mha vs 0. 72 Mha). New plantations peaked in 2009 and 2012 and declined thereafter. Expansion of industrial plantations and forest loss were correlated with palm oil prices. A price decline of 1% was associated with a 1. 08% decrease in new industrial plantations and with a 0. 68% decrease of forest loss. Deforestation fell below pre-2004 levels in 2017-2019 providing an opportunity to focus on sustainable management. As the price of palm oil has doubled since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, effective regulation is key to minimising future forest conversion.
Rights:	Aquest document està subjecte a una llicència d'ús Creative Commons. Es permet la reproducció total o parcial, la distribució, la comunicació pública de l'obra i la creació d'obres derivades, fins i tot amb finalitats comercials, sempre i quan es reconegui l'autoria de l'obra original.
Language:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Published in:	PloS one, Vol. 17, Issue 3 (March 2022) , art. e0266178, ISSN 1932-6203

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0266178
PMID: 35349594

19 p, 1.7 MB

The record appears in these collections:
Research literature > UAB research groups literature > Research Centres and Groups (research output) > Experimental sciences > CREAF (Centre de Recerca Ecològica i d'Aplicacions Forestals)
Articles > Research articles
Articles > Published articles