{"id":28963,"date":"2024-11-26T06:32:01","date_gmt":"2024-11-26T06:32:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gapki.id\/en\/?p=28963"},"modified":"2024-12-02T06:49:55","modified_gmt":"2024-12-02T06:49:55","slug":"find-out-real-impact-of-palm-plantations-on-peat-lands","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gapki.id\/en\/news\/2024\/11\/26\/find-out-real-impact-of-palm-plantations-on-peat-lands\/","title":{"rendered":"Find Out Real Impact Of Palm Plantations On Peat Lands"},"content":{"rendered":"

JAKARTA \u2013 A group of people opined that oil palm plantations in peat lands increase the greenhouse gas (GHG) emission. Is it factually based or just a myth, which is intentionally fabricated for certain reasons? The following facts and description will give a clear answer.<\/p>\n

The development of oil palm plantations on peatlands has drawn strong criticisms from green NGOs and national and international environmental activists. They believe that the opening of peatland areas for oil palm plantation development and cultivation contribute to the increase of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, as peatlands are rich in carbon stock. They also accuse oil palm plantations on peatlands in Indonesia and Malaysia as significant contributors (emitters) of carbon emissions (PASPI Monitor, 2020).<\/p>\n

But actually, the development of oil palm plantations on peatlands is part of sustainable peat restoration because it adopts sustainable peatland cultivation. The use of peat depends on water management. Peat is formed in an anaerobic (reductive) atmosphere. If opened and drainage channels are made, the peat layer at the top becomes aerobic (oxidative) and is easily decomposed, producing CO2 which is emitted into the air as net CO2 emissions. These CO2 emissions can be suppressed by maintaining the peat in the top layer which is always moist (Marwanto et al., 2019).<\/p>\n

Total CO2 emitted from the land surface comes from autotrophic respiration (root respiration) and heterotrophic respiration. The amount of CO2 released from root respiration is highly dependent on the age of the plant. For oil palm trees with the age of 6 years old, CO2 originating from root respiration is around 30 percent (Dariah et al., 2014) of total soil respiration.<\/p>\n

For oil palm trees with the age of 14-15 years, CO2 released from respiration is around 74 percent (Sabiham et al., 2014). The total CO2 emitted from the soil surface is mostly reabsorbed by the plants, while the rest is emitted into the atmosphere as net CO2 emissions. The amount of CO2 reabsorbed by the plants is greater than the amount of CO2 released from root respiration.<\/p>\n

Along with the increase of their ages, the oil palm plantations have a rising capacity to produce biomass stock and carbon stock on the peatlands. (Chan, 2002). In line with this study, Sabiham’s study (2013) showed that the carbon stock of the upper part of peatlands increases as the age of the oil palm plants increases. The carbon stock in secondary peat forests reaches 57.3 tons per hectare, while the carbon stock in oil palm plantations aged 14-15 years reaches 73 tons per hectare.<\/p>\n

The accusation launched by anti-palm oil NGOs through their black campaigns that the conversion of peatlands for oil palm plantation cultivation can cause an increase in GHG emissions is not based on any actual facts. On the contrary, many studies have revealed that the use of peatlands for oil palm plantations with good governance can actually reduce peatland emissions (fluxes).<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

GHG emissions from secondary peat forests (degraded peatlands) range from 127 tons of CO2\/hectare\/year (Hadi et al., 2001). By planting oil palm trees on peatlands, the GHG emissions can be reduced to 31-58 tons of CO2\/hectare\/year (Murayama and Baker, 1996; Melling et al., 2005, 2007; Hooijer et al., 2006; Germer and Sauaerborn, 2008; Melling and Henson, 2009). It means that converting secondary peat forests into oil palm plantations can significantly reduce the CO2 emissions. A more detailed research was conducted by IPB University (Sabiham et al., 2021), measuring CO2 emissions released into the atmosphere from oil palm plantations on peatlands during the dry and rainy seasons. In dry season, CO2 emissions are 16.1 tons of CO2\/hectare\/year, while the CO2 absorbed by plants is 60.6 tons of CO2\/hectare\/year, so that the Net Carbon Sink (NCS) in the dry season is 54.6 tons of CO2\/hectare\/year.<\/p>\n

In rainy season, CO2 emissions into the atmosphere from oil palm plantations on peatlands amount to 20.4 tons of CO2\/hectare\/year. But, \u00a0CO2 absorbed by oil palm trees in the rainy season is 23.7 tons of CO2\/hectare\/year. Thus, the NCS of oil palm plantations on peatlands in the rainy season is 3.3 tons of CO2\/hectare\/year.<\/p>\n

These empirical facts have proven that the accusations made by the anti-palm oil groups against oil palm plantations on peatlands are not true. So, the development of oil palm plantations on peatlands does not cause an increase of peat GHG emissions. In fact, oil palm plantations on peatlands are Net Carbon Sinks (NCS). (*) (Mitos 6-20)<\/em><\/p>\n

References<\/strong>\u00a0:<\/p>\n