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What is the relationship between oil palm and biodiversity?

Biodiversity and the ecological processes it powers are essential for a healthy and productive oil palm crop. Yet, extensive oil palm cultivation throughout the tropics is having serious negative impacts on biodiversity. Read more about how oil palm affects biodiversity.

What is being done to reduce the impact of oil palm on biodiversity?

Scientists are learning more and more about how oil palm plantations affect different species and the wider landscape and efforts by palm oil producers and NGOs to mitigate this impact are gaining momentum.

How can this website help?

The aim of our website is to provide easy access to the latest research on this topic, as well as the resources that are available to assist all those taking action to reduce the environmental impact of palm oil production.

What is biodiversity?

Quite simply, biodiversity is life. Biodiversity is the term used to describe the huge variety of living things on earth, the subtle genetic differences that makes every individual unique and the complex and diverse ecosystems that  result from the almost infinite numbers of different interactions that occur between these living creatures and the soil, water and air around them.

Why is conserving biodiversity crucial?

Without biodiversity there is no life. It is an integral part of our every day existence. Climate regulation, water purification, pollination, pest control, food, medicine……the list of resources and services we depend on that are provided by ecosystems, from tropical rainforests to coral reefs, is almost endless.

Biodiversity is the key to the success of these ecosystems as it gives them the flexibility to adapt and continue to function in a constantly changing world. But the future health of these ecosystems, and consequently our health, society and economy, is becoming increasingly uncertain due to the unprecedented levels of biodiversity loss that are occurring worldwide.

The greatest threat to biodiversity…

The biggest threat to biodiversity is conversion of natural habitats to other land-uses, particularly to grow agricultural crops. Find out more about how oil palm cultivation affects biodiversity and steps that can be taken to reduce this impact.