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WCC 2016 Res 061 - Activity Report

Submitted by Erik.MEIJAARD on Thu, 05/18/2023 - 02:44
General Information
Mitigating the impacts of oil palm expansion and operations on biodiversity
IUCN Constituent: 
IUCN SSC Oil Crops Task Force 2021-2025
IUCN Constituent type: 
IUCN Species Survival Commission 2021-2025
Period covered: 
2022
Geographic scope: 
Global
In implementing this Resolution your organization has worked/consulted with...
IUCN Commissions: 
IUCN Species Survival Commission 2021-2025 (SSC)
IUCN Secretariat: 
Yes
Implementation
Indicate and briefly describe any actions that have been carried out to implement this Resolution: 
ActionDescriptionStatus
Policy influencing/advocacyThe current study on the Future of Vegetable Oils will be implemented together with the Sustainable Nutrition Scientific Board and published as an IUCN report. We are aiming for a powerful study that provides clarity about the difficult trade offs considerations among environmental, social, economic, nutritional and health outcomes. We will be implementing this study in close collaboration with the IUCN Secretariat, working early on a publication, launch and communications strategy. We aim to repeat the success of our 2018 Situation Analysis on Oil Palm and Biodiversity which is among the 15 most-downloaded IUCN reports and has helped change the debate about the sustainability of oil food systems.On-going
Scientific/technical activitiesThe systematic review of the environmental impacts of vegetable oil production is delayed because our funding for global mapping of soybean, rapeseed, and sunflower was withdrawn. We are currently seeking new funding to continue this work. We are also conducting further studies on the interactions between different SDG indicators under smallholder, large holder, and unproductive oil palm in Indonesia, with a view toward expanding the new methodologies to other countries and oil crops. This preliminary work in Indonesia has been finalized and a scientific publication is under review. We obtained funding from Microsoft-GEO for a project coordinated by the University of Kent, UK, to globally map coconut plantations at high resolution. This project was implemented and the mapping was completed in 2022. A scientific publication is under review. We are currently implementing a study on the Future of Vegetable Oils.On-going
Please report on the result /achievement of the actions taken: 
Our various publications and media engagements have contributed to perception change in how people look at vegetable oils and on how media report about these. We have a long way to go assist the world in more optimal decision-making about how we meet demand for oils and fats with the least negative impacts on nature and society.
What challenges have you encountered in implementing this Resolution and what measures have you taken to overcome them?: 
The key challenges have been financial. It took us 5 years to find the finding to conduct the holistic study on the future of vegetable oils that we are currently working on.
Identify and briefly describe what future actions are planned for the implementation of this Resolution: 
Future ActionDescription
Convene stakeholders/NetworkingWe aim to launch our report on the Future of Vegetable Oils on a suitable international conference to attract significant attention from the public, media, policy makers, practitioners and others to the highly important of reconciling agricultural production, environmental conservation, nutritional transition and social justice objectives.