Fig. 1 is a systems diagram from a case study of palm-oil production in Indonesian Borneo. A company plans to replace part of a forest with an oil-palm plan...
Question 1 Report
Fig. 1 is a systems diagram from a case study of palm-oil production in Indonesian Borneo. A company plans to replace part of a forest with an oil-palm plantation. The diagram shows links between demand for vegetable oil, employment, habitat loss and carbon storage. Environmental groups and local communities disagree about whether the project represents sustainable development. Use the evidence shown and your geographical knowledge in your answer.
(a) State one economic benefit of an oil-palm plantation shown in Fig. 1. [1]
(b) Explain how forest clearance can contribute to climate change. [3]
(c) Assess whether expanding oil-palm plantations can be sustainable. Use Fig. 1 and your own knowledge. [5]
(d) Suggest three conditions that a certification scheme could require from palm-oil producers. [3]
(e) Evaluate the view that consumers in high-income countries have the greatest responsibility for reducing the negative impacts of palm-oil production. [8]
Answer Details
(a) One economic benefit shown is local employment. Export income is also shown. [1]
(b) Forest clearance contributes to climate change because fewer trees remain to absorb carbon dioxide by photosynthesis. Clearing or burning the forest releases carbon stored in vegetation. The added greenhouse gases strengthen the greenhouse effect and raise global temperatures. [3]
(c) Expanding oil-palm plantations has benefits: it can create jobs, incomes, and export earnings, and oil palm is a high-yield crop that may require less land than some alternative oils. However, expansion into forest causes habitat and biodiversity loss, carbon emissions, and possibly peat drainage. It may also displace indigenous communities or reduce access to forest resources. Expansion can be sustainable only where degraded land is used, primary forests are protected, benefits are shared locally, and rules are effectively enforced. [5]
(d) A certification scheme could require producers to:
- avoid clearing primary forest and peatland;
- protect wildlife corridors and high-conservation-value habitats;
- obtain free, prior, and informed consent from local communities.
Fair and safe wages, independent supply-chain audits, and reducing fertiliser, pesticide, and water pollution are also valid. [3]
(e) Consumers in high-income countries have an important responsibility because their purchases of foods, cosmetics, and fuels create demand for palm oil. Choosing certified products or reducing unnecessary consumption can influence retailers and producers, and these consumers often have significant spending power.
However, responsibility is shared. Governments must enforce land-use laws and protect forests; producers must avoid illegal clearance and provide fair working conditions; and retailers and manufacturers need to trace supply chains and set purchasing standards. A complete boycott could harm workers’ incomes unless alternatives are available. Overall, high-income consumers have influence, but the greatest reduction in harm requires governments, companies, producers, and consumers to act together. [8]
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