Palm Oil Industry Commits to Supporting Government's Efforts in Achieving Net Zero Emissions

Credit: Sawit Fest 2021 / Muhammad Rizki

Palmoilmagazine.com, JAKARTA – The government has engaged all stakeholders to support and achieve the target of net zero emissions (NZE) by 2060 or even earlier. The palm oil industry is one of the agricultural and industrial sectors actively contributing to carbon emission absorption and implementing NZE programs.

“Palm oil would help to absorb carbon emission. In many literatures, this kind of plantation absorbs carbon more than it in other commodities,” General Director of New Renewable Energy and Energy Conversion Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resource, Dadan Kusdiana said.

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He told it when being as a speaker in virtual discussion of Forum Wartawan Pertanian (Forwatan) with the theme "Kontribusi Industri Sawit Terhadap Net Zero Emissions Indonesia", Jakarta, Wednesday (24 Mei 2023). The other speakers were Dr. Meika Syahbana Rusli, Director of Surfactant and Bioenergy Research Center (SBRC), IPB University; Dwimas Suryanata Nugraha, SH., MH, Sub-coordinator of Directorate of Plantation Protection Ministry of Agriculture; and Luwy Leunufna, Director of Tunas Sawa Erma (TSE) Group.

In the presentation, Dadan analyzed that palm oil tree could absorb 25 tons of CO₂ per year while others could do only 6 tons of CO₂ per year. That is why, palm oil tree is CO₂ absorber, just like other wood trees. Quoting from Henson (1999) data, in the photosynthesis, palm oil absorbs about 161 tons of CO₂ per hectare per year. If the numbers minus respiration process, palm oil tree could absorb CO₂ about 64,5 tons of CO₂ per year on net basis.

Palm oil contributes to reduce carbon emission and it is realized by publishing biodiesel mandatory program. Dadan also told, Indonesia is the biggest country in biodiesel use of other countries, such as, Malaysia.

“We would escalate vegetable oil use both in biodiesel and other bio-forms, such as, bioethanol, or biogas,” he said, as in the official statement to Palmoilmagazine.com, Thursday (25/5/2023). Palm oil industries do welcome the government’s invitation to reduce carbon emission and realize zero emission.

 Tunas Sawa Erma one company in palm oil plantations that operates in Papua recently delivered its commitment to contribute and realize net zero emission in 2050 as the global way.

Director of Tunas Sawa Erma Group, Luwy Leunufna said that the company is committed to follow and realize every government’s regulation to reduce green-house gas emission. As one company that operates in natural resources, Tunas Sawa Erma Group realized that it is important to contribute to realize net zero emission.

As the realization of the commitment, the corporate applies Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) as the standard to decide net zero emission target. SBTi is the initiative to develop and promote scientific methodology to decide emission target according to Paris Agreement. (T2)