Global climate change has become a threatening specter for people across the globe. Flash floods, extreme drought, tropical storm, and melting polar ice, are said as proofs that our planet is being “sick”.
Then who is to blame? Again the oil palm plantations and their growers become the scapegoats. But, is it true that the global expansion of oil palm plantations is the culprit that has caused the climate change?
Based on scientific report from IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) and environment experts such as Soemarwoto (1992), the climate change was caused by global warming, not because of the expansion of certain commodity plantations, such as oil palm.
The global warming itself is caused by the increase of solar heat energy trapped in the atmosphere as a result of the increase of greenhouse gas (GHG) concentration.
The continual increase of global warming has caused various changes of planet systems that had directly impacted the weather, which include:
- Increased Evaporation
- Increase in air and earth surface temperatures
- Increase in marine temperature
- Disturbances in ecosystems of plants and animals
- Melting polar ice
The combination of all of those factors has triggered extreme rainfalls, flooding, drought, typhoon, forest and land fires, and other climate anomalies in many parts of the world.
Accusing oil palm plantations as the main cause of climate change is wrong and has no scientific basis. We need to carefully consider the following facts:
- The climate change is part of the aftereffects of global warming, not resulted from the expansion of certain crop plantations.
- The main factors that cause global warming are human activities, especially the burning of fossil fuels, industries, and transportation.
Blaming palm oil will certainly not solve the problem. Conversely, it will mislead the public opinion and it will hide the true source of emissions.
The global warming is real and should be seriously tackled. But blaming the oil palm plantations is not the scientific solution, but only a propaganda. The right solution should be started from the following steps:
- Clean energy transition
- Industry efficiency
- Thorough protection of forests
It is time for us to focus on the root causes of problems, and not on seeking the scapegoats. (*)
IPCC. 2007. The Physical Science Basis, AR4. Soemarwoto, O. 1992. Indonesia dalam Kamcah Isu Lingkungan Global. Jakarta: Gramedia Pustaka Utama.
