PALMOILMAGAZINE, JAKARTA – The escalating global temperatures attributed to the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are a major concern for many countries. Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from fossil fuels, including those from transportation, power plants, and cooking processes, constitute the primary contributors to carbon emissions.
According to Pratama (2019), carbon emissions are closely linked to the greenhouse gas effect. Gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapor in the atmosphere absorb heat from the sun, which is reflected by the Earth’s surface. As the world’s largest palm oil producer, Indonesia plays a significant role in global carbon emission management. However, debates persist regarding the impact of palm oil plantations on whether they truly reduce or increase carbon dioxide emissions.
Superior plantation statistic data in national scale (2020 – 2022) showed that palm oil plantations positively absorbed dioxide carbon. Laying on about 14,38 million hectares and having capability to absorb 64,5 tons of CO2 per hectare, palm oil plantations were estimated to absorb about 927,5 million tons of CO2 in 2022. The average graphic of dioxide carbon emission in the morning and evening showed the decreasing emission as palm oil plantations grew.
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But they have potential to escalate green-house gas emission, particularly dioxide carbon. Information from General Directorate of Climate Change Control, Ministry of Environment and Forestry showed that about 94 percent of green-house gas emission in Indonesia were dominated by dioxide carbon gas. Most of the carbon were kept in the soil. Is forest cultivation contributing in absorbing or delivering carbon emission in terrestrial biosphere?
But the facts showed, more than 80 percent of deforestation that had something to do with new palm oil planting, significantly delivered impacts for the climate globally. That is why Indonesia is famously known as the third biggest country that contributes in green-house gas emission producer.
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Indonesia is seriously facing the challenges in environmental and climate impacts. Forestry and plantation sectors that became the victims of deforestation and degradation, significantly played roles in dioxide carbon emission. From 2013 to 2018, forestry sector contributed 26,8 megaton emission, while plantation sector contributed 1,04 gigaton. And the biggest contributor was palm oil plantations.
Though in 2018 there was emission reduction up to 48,46 percent, gas emission negatively delivered impacts not only damaging ozone layers but also polluting air, endangering living creatures. That is why it needs further actions to deal with the issues.
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To mitigate the negative impacts, sustainable agricultural practices have to be adopted, including reducing the damaging land use change. Besides, it is crucial to completely think of life cycle from palm oil products. Organizations and producers in international level should sustainably encourage palm oil production, consider environmental and social aspect better.
In these contexts, the roles of Indonesia as the biggest palm oil producer in the world would be the key to get balanced solution between economic advantages and sustainable environment. It needs the same commitment among the governments, industries, and the people to realize sustainable goals optimally in palm oil industries. (*)
By: Marwana Febrianti ; Andreas Ary Chrisna Jati ; Fio Febrian ; Falah Ahmadanu ; Dzacky Nanda Ferdi ; M. Qurtubi Ash Shiddiqi. Source: Institut Pertanian Bogor (IPB) Digitani
