Social and policy issues affecting the sustainability of palm biofuel production

Abstract

Social sustainability of the palm biofuel industry stresses on the need to produce favorable social and distributional effects like employment, food security, conservation of cultures, equality in sharing between involving parties, technological advancement and training, etc., that would continue to benefit the future generation. The expansion of the oil palm biofuel industry in reaction to the climate change mitigation has necessitated the industry over social, environmental, and political sustainability of palm feedstocks production. Though the production of oil palm biomass and subsequent conversion into biofuels have positive social impacts, some research reports reveal the high rate of unemployment, homelessness and poverty among rural folks who are engaged in oil palm cultivation. This chapter outlines the factors that affect the socio-political sustainability of palm biofuels where real situations on the ground are discussed and suggestions made. © Springer Science+Business Media Singapore 2013.