Many of us in the EU care deeply about preserving the rainforests, and with them its plants, trees and species such as the orang utan and thousands of others. Yet when we shop for basic products, such as shampoo, toothpaste, bread and detergent, we are often unknowingly contributing to its destruction.

As consumers, we want to buy products that only contain sustainable palm oil. But we cannot be sure we are doing so until the trade of non-sustainable palm oil is banned.

The cost of non-sustainable palm oil is now becoming painfully clear.

Huge tracts of the Indonesian rainforest are now on fire because of the razing of the forests for palm oil plantations. The fires are out of control, killing thousands of species every day. Human life is at risk. Children are being evacuated daily in war ships. 

Every time a tract of land is cleared for palm plantation, it releases vast amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere.

The fires are currently producing more gas emissions than the US economy on a daily basis. We are witnessing one of the biggest environmental disasters of the 21st century, so far.

The international community agreed at the Paris climate change in December to do everything it can to keep global average temperature below 2°C above the pre-industrial level. This is imperative if we are to prevent the worst impacts of climate change. 

We can help make that goal a reality.

Stopping the practice of razing forests to plant palms will play a crucial role in lowering emissions, as well as saving the habitats of thousands of species. 

The destruction of the rainforests and its consequences is a global problem and can only be solved by global action, both by the companies producing palm oil and those of us buying the products it goes into. Corporations believe that our desire for cheap produce trumps everything else. Let's show them this is not true; if they commit to sustainable practices in palm oil production, we will pay more for their products. Because we cannot pay for the products in our shopping basket with our planet.

Please help us  lower emissions and save the rainforests by banning non-sustainable palm oil NOW.