Palm Oil Detectives

2026-02-28 13:41:00

So-called ‘Net Zero’ Flights Flush Rainforest Carbon Into the Sky

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Virgin Atlantic airlines now uses ‘sustainable aviation fuel’ – a technology it claims will result in ‘Net Zero’ flights. However experts and researchers have lambasted this #aviation and #palmoil industry promotion as #greenwashing. They cite problematic evidence that using Sustainable Aviation Fuel or #SAF in #airlinefuel will undermine goals of keeping climate warming below 1.5°. In the meantime, despite the greenwash and industry spin, SAF is poised to flush gigatonnes of #rainforest #carbon into the sky exacerbating #climatechange. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife

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Is #SAF or “Sustainable” Aviation Fuel really a #climate saviour? Or just a greedy #greenwashing lie about #palmoil #deforestation? 🤮🌴🔥 Cut through the BS with this article by Open Democracy #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect wp.me/pcFhgU-9cg

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Despite #aviation ✈️ and #palmoil industry #greenwashing, #climate experts predict “Sustainable” Aviation Fuel or #SAF will flush gigatonnes of rainforest #carbon into the sky. We demand better! #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife 🌴 🔥🚫 @palmoildetect wp.me/pcFhgU-9cg

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Written by Ben Webster for Open Democracy, read original article. Republished under the Creative Commons Attribution Licence.

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Virgin Atlantic and the UK government have been accused of misleading the public over what they claim will be “the world’s first net zero transatlantic flight” ahead of next week’s COP28 summit.

The Department for Transport said the flight, scheduled for Tuesday, was “ushering in a new era of guilt-free flying” because it will run entirely on so-called “sustainable aviation fuel” (SAF).

But openDemocracy revealed concerns earlier this year that SAF production in the UK may be linked to deforestation.
A stock image of a Virgin Atlantic Airways Boeing 787 Dreamliner, pictured on the approach to Heathrow Airport | Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images
“There are some incredible double standards at play here,” said Matt Finch, UK policy manager of green campaign group Transport & Environment.

The SAF market in the UK is largely dependent on used cooking oil from Asia – where sellers are suspected of passing off unused palm oil as waste in order to attract lucrative credits. This is a particular problem for the environment, as producing palm oil drives deforestation.

Virgin last year bought more than 600,000 litres of “used” cooking oil from China and Indonesia to turn into SAF and mix with regular fuel for routine flights. Although it says the raw material for next week’s flight from London to New York will come purely from Europe and the US, the airline admitted it was still buying “feedstocks” from Asia for further SAF production this year.

“Some British airlines are – right now – greenwashing themselves by using used cooking oil made from Asian feedstocks,” said Finch.

“If airlines were genuinely trying to be sustainable, they would stop right now because of the huge risk of rogue palm oil getting into the SAF supply chain.”

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youtu.be/1Ly5kJcsFhc?si=Q4ejK3…

Green Lie of “Sustainable” Aviation Biofuel

“Sustainable” Aviation Fuel (SAF) is a biofuel alternative to using fossil fuels for powering planes and cars. SAF is being aggressively marketed by multiple industries as a greener alternative to burning fossil fuels in cars and airplanes.

However, SAF is produced from food crops such as rapeseed, palm oil, soy and sugar cane. This…

by Palm Oil DetectivesJanuary 7, 2024March 23, 2025

Net zero target

The aviation industry claims that SAF – which is almost all made from either biofuel crops or waste – could deliver around 65% of the reduction in emissions needed for airlines to reach net zero in 2050.

Under the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation (RTFO), the government allows used cooking oil to be used to make the fuel. It currently accounts for the vast majority of SAF declared in the UK, most of which comes from Asia.

In 2024 alone, British airlines have bought more than 26 million litres of used Asian cooking oil – including 18 million litres from Malaysia, five million from China and two million from Indonesia.

Only about 15% of the used cooking oil purchased by airlines in 2023 has come from European sources, mainly the UK and the Netherlands.

Investigations suggest there is a high risk of fraud in the supply of biofuel from Asia, with particular concern over virgin palm oil being passed off as used cooking oil.

Labelling virgin palm oil as used makes it more valuable, partly because waste products earn double credits under the UK government’s rules for sustainable fuels.

Even genuine used cooking oil can indirectly cause deforestation because countries export waste oil they would otherwise have used domestically, and instead use virgin palm oil to meet their own local demand, according to T&E.

The campaign group says used cooking oil from Asia would be more effective at cutting emissions if it were used to replace diesel in road vehicles in the countries where it was produced – rather than being shipped across the world to be refined, using additional energy, into jet fuel.

The Royal Society, which represents the UK’s leading scientists, has also warned that an area at least half the size of the UK would be needed to grow enough biofuel crops to meet existing aviation demand in the UK alone. Increased levels of recycling are also likely to mean less waste material is available for making the fuel.

Green fuel mandate

Commercial jet engines are currently allowed to burn a maximum of 50% SAF, which is blended with traditional kerosene jet fuel. But next week’s demonstration flight is expected to show that it is safe to use 100% SAF. It is being funded with a government grant of up to £1m.

It comes only weeks before the government is due to announce details about the so-called “SAF mandate”, which will require at least 10% of jet fuel in the UK to come from “sustainable sources” by 2030.

The Department for Transport (DfT) is planning to cap the amount of used cooking oil and animal fat that airlines can use to meet this obligation, because demand could divert the products away from efforts to decarbonise road transport.

The cap, though, could be as high as 250 million litres a year of waste fats and oils.

Finch of T&E said: “The SAF mandate will be the biggest environmental regulation applied to UK aviation ever, and the government has a choice to make: should it carry on allowing SAF to be made from feedstocks that have dubious environmental benefits, or should it ensure that the sustainability criteria it sets genuinely achieve carbon reductions? Used cooking oil should be banned from UK planes.”

‘Undermining’ climate goals

Virgin and other UK airlines say their SAF has been certified by International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC), a scheme governed by a board that includes an executive from Air BP – one of Virgin’s SAF suppliers.

ISCC has nonetheless taken some action over SAF mis-selling. It launched an investigation this year into “potentially fraudulent behaviour” involving biodiesel that had been declared as waste from Indonesia or Malaysia and then exported from China to Europe.

It also suspended the sustainability certification of three Chinese biofuel exporters and last month pledged to clamp down on fraud by implementing “a traceability database by the end of the year”.

A Virgin Atlantic spokesperson told openDemocracy: “With all SAF purchases, we require suppliers to comply with applicable sustainability standards. In respect of HEFA (Hydrogenated Esters and Fatty Acids) SAF, we ask suppliers to ensure that feedstocks do not contain palm oil or its derivatives.

“SAF is an emerging industry and we source feedstocks from regions around the world and ask that suppliers undertake robust due diligence to ensure there is no palm oil or derivatives.”

However, the Aviation Environment Federation says the aviation industry’s enthusiasm for SAF is obscuring the urgent need for genuinely sustainable solutions to aviation emissions, including development of zero emission aircraft and an overall reduction in flying.

Even if every drop of used cooking oil available globally were refined into jet fuel, there would only be enough to power about one in every 40 flights, according to estimates by sustainable fuel consultancy Cerulogy.

The aviation industry says it is developing alternative sources of sustainable aviation fuel, including “non-edible industrial corn”, “forestry residues” and household waste.

But a study in August by Manchester Metropolitan University challenged the industry’s claims that sustainable aviation fuel can drastically cut emissions.

It said: “The scaling up of SAF to not only maintain but grow global aviation is problematic as it competes for land needed for nature-based carbon removal, clean energy that could more effectively decarbonise other sectors, and captured CO2 to be stored permanently. As such, SAF production undermines global goals of limiting warming to 1.5°C.”

Cait Hewitt, policy director of the Aviation Environment Federation, said one flight using 100% SAF “will make no difference to the fact that only 2.6% of UK aviation fuel is anything other than kerosene. And globally, the figure is more like 0.1%.”

She said the industry and DfT were wrong to suggest that waste-based SAF could be scaled up sustainably.

“It’s a nice idea to make fuel out of rubbish, which is what the UK government and others are pushing for, but producing more rubbish to turn into plane fuel is pretty obviously not a sustainable long-term option.”

She also said it was misleading to claim, as the DfT has, that SAF cuts greenhouse gas emissions by 70%.

“Even using 100% SAF, as with the forthcoming Virgin Atlantic flight, reduces tailpipe emissions by 0% compared with using kerosene. Any CO2 savings will be net savings, just as with carbon offsets.”

She said the flight would not achieve any net CO2 savings unless Virgin and the DfT could demonstrate that more carbon had been captured than would have happened anyway.

A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “Our sustainable aviation fuel programme is one of the most comprehensive in the world.

“We require that the fuel used [for the 100% SAF flight] must meet the specified sustainability criteria. However, it is for the operator and their fuel suppliers to determine the exact nature of the fuel within these parameters. Fuel suppliers are subject to independently verified checks to confirm the authenticity of their materials.”

Written by Ben Webster for Open Democracy, read original article. Republished under the Creative Commons Attribution Licence.

ENDS

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Take Action in Five Ways

1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.

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2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.

Wildlife Artist Juanchi Pérez

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Mel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings

Read more

Anthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao

Read more

Health Physician Dr Evan Allen

Read more

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Read more

How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy

Read more

3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.

twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status…

twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status…

twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1…

4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.

5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here

Pledge your support

#airPollution #airlinefuel #aviation #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #carbon #Climate #climateChange #climatechange #corruption #deforestation #greenwashing #PalmOil #palmOilBiofuel #palmOilDeforestation #palmoil #rainforest #SAF

First ever net zero transatlantic flight to take to the skies in 2023

Secretary of State for Transport announces plans for a net zero transatlantic flight while in US.

^{Department for Transport (GOV.UK)}

Palm Oil Detectives

2026-03-02 11:20:43

Do you love animals? Make every day #WorldWildlifeDay

This #WorldWildlifeDay, please remember the wild animals you love who are running out of time and land to live on. Research recently found that converting partly logged areas into palm oil plantations sounds the death knell for that ecosystem. Across the globe, from Indonesia to Brazil and Nigeria, vibrant rainforests and animals like reptiles and insects are under threat from palm oil, timber, and meat. This ecocide leaves majestic animals struggling to survive against chainsaws, bulldozers, pesticides and destruction for palm oil and meat agriculture. A multi-billion dollar industry has grown up around legitimising palm oil and meat ecocide, primarily through the RSPO but also other greenwashing schemes as well. Read on to discover more and how you can shine a light on the lives of elusive animals.

This #WorldWildlifeDay take action for #animals great and small 🦋🐦🐘🐒🐍 because #reptiles #insects #mammals and #birds deserve better than #palmoil ecocide and #extinction! When you shop always #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect wp.me/pcFhgU-iMO

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#Palmoil and #meat #agriculture 🥩💀 are some of the biggest threats to wild #animals and farmed animals. This #WorldWildlifeDay and every single day, make sure fight for them and go #vegan 🥕🍆🍅 #BoycottPalmOil 🌴🩸☠️🧐⛔️ and #Boycott4Wildlife wp.me/pcFhgU-iMO

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Protecting Sumatra’s last remaining tigers

The Sumatran tiger is teetering on the brink of extinction. Recent findings underscore the urgency of protecting the last remaining populations of these majestic apex predators. Deforestation for palm oil and illegal poaching are wiping out their homes. In the Ulu Masen Ecosystem, a recent study detected only 11 tigers, highlighting severe population stress from snares and habitat loss. Without immediate action, they face the same tragic fate as the extinct Javan and Balinese tigers. Strict global rainforest laws, enforcement of anti-poaching units, and a consumer boycott of palm oil hold the key to protecting Sumatra’s last living tigers.​

youtu.be/0g2Nv4cfBfo

Animals of Tesso Nilo in Sumatra are vanishing

Tesso Nilo National Park in Sumatra has lost an alarming 78% of primary forest between 2009 and 2023. The primary driver of this devastation is the expansion of illegal palm oil plantations. This rampant deforestation threatens the homes of critically endangered species like tigers, orangutans, and elephants. When palm oil companies build roads, they increase accessibility for poachers, further endangering the animals who live there. Advocating for indigenous-led conservation efforts and adopting a plant-based lifestyle are vital steps to protect these ecosystems.​

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56% of ‘data deficient’ species on the Red List are endangered

The destruction of wild ecosystems continues to push thousands of obscure species towards extinction finds a study by Norwegian University of Science and Technology. Researchers used advanced machine learning algorithms to assess the survival probability of thousands of under-researched animals, predicts that a staggering fifty-six percent of all “data deficient” species are currently threatened with extinction. 85% of unassessed amphibians face immediate existential threats, primarily driven by anthropogenic habitat degradation such as the unchecked expansion of palm oil plantations, meat agriculture, mining and timber logging. Right now is the time to fight for all life and reject products linked to ecocide. Always remember them and share out their posts! Start here on the forgotten animals page.
These are the forgotten animals of the secretly destroyed forests

Sumatran elephants trapped by endless palm oil

In Indonesia’s North Aceh district, Sumatran elephants find themselves increasingly encircled by shrinking patches of forest, hemmed in all all sides by massive palm oil expansion. Just 924 to 1,360 individual Sumatran elephants remain alive. They are trapped in dead lands, surrounded by the very industry that is eradicating their food sources. Ongoing attempts by researchers to measure their populations have been hampered by the Indonesian government, which attempts to hide the truth from the media. Boycott palm oil when you shop to protect these irreplaceable beings.​

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Toxic palm oil pesticides are killing baby macaques

In Peninsular Malaysia, infant southern pig-tailed macaques are dying at alarmingly high rates due to palm oil plantations. A recent study found that agricultural chemicals and pesticides cross the placental barrier of unborn macaques, impacting their development. Prolonged exposure to these toxic plantations during infancy makes baby macaques three times more likely to die. These intelligent primates face increased risks from predators, human encounters, and poisons. Take action and boycott palm oil to protect these precious infants.

The fight for the lives of Wondiwoi tree kangaroos

The Wondiwoi tree kangaroo is the world’s most endangered kangaroo. Rediscovered in 2018 in West Papua’s lush forests, these rare animals have beautiful soulful eyes and burnt umber fur. Tragically, fewer than 50 of them remain alive. They face severe threats from hunting and palm oil deforestation. Protecting them requires urgent conservation efforts that prioritise indigenous sovereignty. You can help save these remarkable creatures by refusing to buy products with palm oil that destroy their homes.​

Nigeria’s forest elephants face extinction

African forest elephants in Nigeria have seen their numbers decline massively in recent years. The main cause is human activity, specifically logging, cocoa agriculture, and palm oil plantations. These industries threaten their survival by destroying their natural habitat. As a result, fragmented elephant populations are highly vulnerable to poachers and retaliatory killings by farmers. We must halt the expansion of palm oil to secure a safe future for these majestic animals.​

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The deadly green lie of “sustainable” palm oil

For decades, the palm oil industry has misled consumers with the false promise of “sustainable” palm oil. Industry watchdogs have repeatedly exposed the RSPO’s certification as a multi-stakeholder sham. Behind this green façade lies a brutal reality of deforestation, human rights abuses, and the destruction of endangered species’ habitats. There is no such thing as sustainable palm oil. We must not fall for their corporate greenwashing.​

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Take action to protect rainforest animals

By holding to account the powerful corporations that control the world, we have the power to fight back against this ecocide. Here is how you can stand up for rainforest animals, farmed animals, indigenous people, and rainforests:

Make powerful lifestyle changes

The most impactful thing you can do is go plant-based in your diet. Boycott meat, boycott palm oil, and boycott dairy. These industries are the leading causes of global deforestation and animal cruelty.​

Supermarket sleuthing

Next time you are in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these on social media to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use it. Congratulate brands when they go completely palm oil-free.​

Join the #Boycott4Wildlife movement

Follow and join the Boycott4Wildlife movement on this website and social media. Share stories on BlueSky, Mastodon, Twitter and YouTube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil and #Boycott4Wildlife to be part of it!

Support indigenous sovereignty and agroecology

A viable path forward is to champion indigenous-led agroecology. Indigenous peoples possess the deep ecological knowledge required to protect forests and the intricate web of life that includes insects, birds, mammals and reptiles. Stand strongly with indigenous land defenders to protect what remains of the wild.

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Learn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture

Global
South America
S.E. Asia
India
Africa
West Papua & PNG

Gursky’s Spectral Tarsier Tarsius spectrumgurskyae

Keep reading

Sunda Flying Lemur Galeopterus variegatus

Keep reading

Western Parotia Parotia sefilata

Keep reading

Capped Langur Trachypithecus pileatus

Keep reading

Mountain Tapir Tapirus pinchaque

Keep reading

Saola Pseudoryx nghetinhensis

Keep reading

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Learn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing

Read more about RSPO greenwashing

Lying
Fake labels
Indigenous Land-grabbing
Human rights abuses
Deforestation
Human health hazards

A 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry and RSPO finds extensive greenwashing of palm oil deforestation and the murder of endangered animals (i.e. biodiversity loss)

Read more

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Take Action in Five Ways

1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.

• Twitter
• Facebook
• Instagram
• WordPress
• YouTube
• Mail
• Mastodon

Enter your email address

Sign Up

Join 3,179 other subscribers

2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.

Wildlife Artist Juanchi Pérez

Read more

Mel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings

Read more

Anthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao

Read more

Health Physician Dr Evan Allen

Read more

The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert

Read more

How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy

Read more

3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.

twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status…

twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status…

twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1…

4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.

5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here

Pledge your support
#animalBehaviour #AnimalBiodiversityNews #animalCommunication #animalCruelty #animalExtinction #animalIntelligence #animalRights #biodiversity #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #deforestation #PalmOil #palmOilDeforestation

I discovered a tree kangaroo that had only been seen once – by the man who shot it in 1928

I want people to be excited about the animals I find and get them involved in conservation

^{Phoebe Weston (The Guardian)}