Thanks to Paul Baker for sending through details of this event...
How can we conserve rainforests as suppliers seek to meet increasing demand for palm oil?
When: Thursday 15th May, 2014 @ 7pm (bar opens 6pm)
Where: Royal Geographical Society London SW7 2AR
How much: Free, but a donation to Earthwatch is encouraged!
Oil palm is the world’s most widely used vegetable oil, but environmental and social concerns
surrounding its production, make it one of the most controversial crops. Our speakers will examine the challenges we face in conserving biodiversity in rapidly changing landscapes, and the role that science, citizens and certification can play towards a sustainable future.
More than 45 million tonnes of palm oil are produced annually, of which about 87 per cent is grown in Malaysia and Indonesia. Palm oil is used in about 50 per cent of packaged food products on supermarket shelves and has also been developed to produce biodiesel.
The cultivation of palm oil has been criticised for multiple negative impacts on the natural
environment including deforestation and the loss of natural habitats, which has threatened critically endangered species such as the Sumatran orang-utan and Sumatran tiger.
Since 2008, Earthwatch has supported research to maintain the health and strength of the rainforest in Borneo in the face of changes in climate and land use.
Earthwatch is putting together a diverse panel of speakers with vast personal and professional
experience from academia, corporate and industry backgrounds.
Keynote speaker will be Dr Glen Reynolds, Director of the South East Asia Rainforest Research Programme (SEARRP) and leading Earthwatch scientist for the research project ‘Climate and Landscape Change in Borneo’s Rainforest’.
For more information and to book tickets log on to http://eu.earthwatch.org/events/
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