Indicate which actions have been carried out to implement this Resolution :
Convene stakeholders/Networking
Fundraising
Policy influencing/advocacy
Scientific/technical activities
Describe the results/achievements of the actions taken:
Since the publication of the Situation Analysis on Oil Palm and Biodiversity there has been a notable change in the discussion about banning palm oil from certain markets or for certain uses or at least reducing its import. The tone in media has changed and it appears that the polarization in the oil palm debate has reduced somewhat. Prominent figures like Sir David Attenborough have spoken out publicly about palm oil sustainability and the unintended side effects of reducing palm oil production through the increase production of other vegetable oils. Politically, however, the stand-off between especially the European Union on the one hand and Indonesia and Malaysia on the other, continues. We cannot claim causality but the coincidence of the publication of the IUCN report and subsequent changes in media and public opinion is noteworthy.
What challenges/obstacles have been encountered in the implementation of this Resolution and how were they overcome :
The Task Force initially received funding from the IUCN project “Global Commons: Solutions for a Crowded Planet”, funded by the Global Environment Facility, which was used to produce the Situation Analysis. Subsequently, the Task Force has been trying to raise additional funds to conduct the studies that the members prioritized: 1. socio-economic impacts of oil palm; 2. comparative studies of palm oil and other vegetable oils. Fundraising discussions are ongoing but no funding has been secured as of yet.
Briefly describe what future actions are needed for the implementation of this Resolution:
The Task Force prepared a proposal for a workshop at the IUCN Congress 2020 to disseminate the outcomes of the task force's activities between 2017 and 2020. The proposal was accepted and the Task Force is currently working on a more detailed program for the two-hour workshop.
As a spin-off from the research conducted for the Situation Analysis on Oil Palm and Biodiversity, several further research programs were developed. This included the development of a scientific review paper summarizing the key findings of the Situation Analysis (to be submitted to a high impact journal in 2020). Furthermore, several Task Force members had requested more attention to evaluation of socio-economic impacts of oil palm and oil palm certification. Several studies were subsequently implemented led by Dr Truly Santika, one of the Task Force members, resulting in the publication of several high impact papers. While this not strictly under the mandate of the Task Force, these studies are of considerable interest and in line with the objectives of Resolution 061.
Are these actions planned for yet:
