A new documentary examining the environmental impact of Indonesian palm oil in South Korea’s biodiesel supply chain premiered on October 7 at Bangkok Climate Action Week. Produced by Solutions for Our Climate (SFOC), the film highlights the growth of biofuel production from Indonesian plantations and its role in meeting South Korea’s rising energy demand, as reported by Tempo.co.
Palm Oil Use in South Korean Biodiesel
The documentary draws on an SFOC report titled Behind Korea’s Biofuels: Sustainability Risks in Indonesia-Korea Palm Oil Supply Chains. The research indicates that palm oil and its derivatives accounted for 72 percent of South Korea’s biodiesel feedstocks in 2024. This figure represents a fourfold increase since the country implemented a biodiesel blending mandate in 2015. Most of these supplies originate from Indonesia. According to the SFOC report, more than 90 percent of the export volumes analyzed were linked to documented instances of ecosystem degradation, land-rights conflicts, or governance failures within Indonesia.
Environmental and Social Impacts of Bioenergy
Marihel Parda Winda, a Forest and Land Use Program Officer at SFOC, stated that the conversion of forests into monoculture plantations results in the loss of biodiversity and livelihoods for local communities. Amalya Oktaviani, a program manager at Trend Asia, characterized the current reliance on large-scale plantations as a "false solution" that prioritizes renewable energy labels while exacerbating forest loss.
Future Requirements for Sustainable Energy
Panelists argued that current energy transition strategies often place the environmental and social costs of production on local communities while the financial benefits are concentrated within large corporations. SFOC advocates for the implementation of stronger safeguards as South Korea continues to expand its biofuel usage. Amalya emphasized the need for a shift toward a "restorative economy" that empowers communities to defend their forests and develop economic alternatives that do not rely on large-scale extraction.
Palm Oil Feedstocks Cause Environmental and Social Risks
According to the SFOC report, palm oil and its derivatives made up 72 percent of South Korea’s biodiesel feedstocks as of 2024.
Groups including Trend Asia and SFOC cite deforestation, biodiversity loss, greenhouse gas emissions, and land-rights conflicts as the primary risks associated with the expansion of bioenergy feedstocks in Indonesia.
Worth a look