German Armed Forces join fight against tropical forest destruction
Clean Energy Wire
The German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr) are increasingly relying on certified sustainable palm oil in its procurement of food as part of an effort to counter new rainforest destruction by the cultivation of oil palms. Environmental Action Germany (DUH) is supporting the Bundeswehr Catering Office in its efforts “to adjust procurement as quickly as possible and to increasingly use palm oil products in which the palm oil is produced without deforestation and in compliance with basic minimum standards”. The Bundeswehr Catering Office plans to discuss the issue with contractual partners and, if possible, seek product changes. The DUH made the Bundeswehr Catering Office aware of the palm oil issue. “In the future, we will increasingly rely on certified palm oil in order to make our contribution to preserving the rainforests and counteracting climate change,” said Catering Office head Manuel Keller. Welcoming the move, DUH executive director Sascha Müller-Kraenner said: “The ongoing destruction of the rainforests and peat soils is decimating the already scarce habitat of highly endangered animal species such as the orangutan. In addition, immense amounts of greenhouse gases are released, which further fuel the climate crisis. Preserving the world's forests is one of the most important pillars in the fight against climate change.”
The Bundeswehr becomes the third public entity in Germany to join the effort after the city of Hanover and the Berlin district of Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg.
The DUH has also called for the German government to campaign for a strong EU supply chain law and tough EU legislation against what it describes as “imported deforestation” with regard to European imports of soy from South America.
