Balancing Nature and Economy: Perspectives on Oil Palm Expansion and Mixed Forests in Germany

In recent decades, rising global demand for vegetable oil and biofuel has led to a massive expansion of oil palm cultivation in the tropics. The oil palm boom has contributed to economic growth and spurred criticism because of its link with deforestation, biodiversity loss, and social conflicts. In my talk, I will discuss the environmental, economic, and social consequences of oil palm expansion, the reaction in the Western world, and the possible solutions.

Climate change has changed the dynamics of forests. In Germany, one of the main species that provide wood, Norway spruce, is dying every year due to warmer and drier summers. Other conifers, such as Douglas fir, can be a good option to provide timber, however, the impacts on biodiversity are still unknown. Mixed forests of such conifers with a species of high-value of conservation, like European beech, are expected to fulfill several aspects of the social demands of forests, such as wood production, habitat for biodiversity, nutrient cycling, carbon storage, etc.