English Document:
The Urgency of Improving Palm Oil Governance through a Moratorium on Permit Issuance, from an Economic Perspective and Environmental Carrying and Assimilative Capacity (ECCAC)
Oil palm expansion in Indonesia has exceeded environmental carrying capacity, driving deforestation, ecosystem degradation, and social conflicts. Halting the issuance of new oil palm permits is a critical step to prevent further damage and restore governance in the sector.
Improving palm oil governance should prioritize productivity gains on existing plantations, stronger law enforcement, and the resolution of agrarian conflicts. This approach is economically more efficient than land expansion, which generates significant social and environmental costs.
Policy reform in the palm oil sector is also essential to safeguard Indonesia’s climate commitments and long-term economic sustainability. By stopping new permits and strengthening governance, palm oil can contribute to development without surpassing ecological limits.
