Dutch maintain support for RSPO

THE Netherlands remains supportive of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) with its renewed approval of the biofuel certification scheme, or RSPO-RED.

Secretary general of the RSPO Darrel Webber said the Netherlands, through Dutch Emissions Authority, is one of the largest importers of Certified Sustainable Palm Oil (CSPO) in Europe and makes up a significant number of RSPO member companies across a variety of sectors.

"We are glad that the Dutch Emissions Authority has decided to extend the approval of the RSPO-RED certification scheme.

"The move by regulators sends a very positive signal to responsible producers and suppliers about the demand for their investments in CSPO," he said.

Meanwhile, Global Sustainability Adviser at Sime Darby and RSPO executive board member Puvan Selvanathan said the RSPO certification is unique in a way that it takes into account not only good agricultural practices but also responsible social and environmental management.

"The continued support for RSPO by the Dutch government is a clear sign we are moving in the right direction to make sustainable palm oil the norm," he said.

However, the Dutch government has accepted the RSPO-RED scheme on a temporary basis, which is until July 1 this year.

This is due to the scheme currently being reviewed by the European Commission for an approval at the European level, as required by the Renewable Energy Directive passed in 2009.

Under the directive, the European Union (EU) has set the goal of reaching a 10 per cent share of renewable energy in the transport sector of every member state by 2020.

The directive aims to ensure that the EU uses only sustainable biofuels, which generates clear and net greenhouse gas emissions savings and have no negative impact on biodiversity and land use.