In the footsteps of the palm: 298 processes for violating environmental regulations in Latin America

In Latin America, palm oil production is leaving a deep mark on its rivers and forests. In just six countries in the region, between 2010 and 2021, at least 298 sanctioning processes were opened against 169 companies and producers for non-compliance with environmental regulations, cutting down forests, diverting the course of rivers or monopolizing the water, among other crimes.

This is one of the findings obtained by the journalistic alliance Following the palm prints which, since the beginning of 2021, began the construction of a database on the environmental sanctioning processes that the authorities of Latin American countries opened against companies, producers and processors of palm oil.

In November of last year, this journalistic alliance published the first results of this investigation. At that time, 231 processes were documented between 2010 and 2020 in four countries: Guatemala, Honduras, Ecuador and Colombia. For this 2022 the database was updated to 2021 and added to Brazil and Costa Rica.

All the information gathered so far, which covers a period of 12 years, was obtained from the responses that the environmental authorities of the different countries gave to the requests for information made by the members of this journalistic alliance convened by Mongabay Latam and integrated by Ocote,countercurrent, line 84, The Space Bar and France 24.

a profitable business

In this second stage we find, again, a worrying secrecy and difficulties in accessing official data. In addition, when a response could be obtained, incomplete information was received. After verifying all the data collected this year, it was possible to add to the 231 processes gathered in the 2021 database, a total of 67 new cases of complaints and investigations in progress against companies and individuals. Of these, 44 are from Brazil, 8 from Costa Rica, 12 from Guatemala, 2 from Honduras, 1 from Ecuador and none from Colombia.

Even without adding new cases in 2021, Colombia continues to lead the list with the highest number of accumulated processes, 176 in total. And to this is added the fact that it has not opened any investigation during 2021, despite being the main producer of palm oil in Latin America and that the most recurrent sanctions are linked to non-compliance with environmental regulations and the felling of forests. .

The effects that palm oil production is having in Latin America may worsen in the coming years, especially if the data on the growth that this industry is expected to have is taken into account.

Palm oil is one of the 12 commodities monitored by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The entity’s projections expect the world production of palm oil 2022-2023 to reach 79.16 million tons. This would represent an increase of 4.2% compared to the 2021-2022 period, when production was 75.95 million tons.

In addition, the international business of this commodities he is a billionaire. A recent study Market data indicates that global sales of palm oil are poised to reach $33 billion by 2022.

The palm market is dominated by Indonesia, which has the 59% of world production. However, six Latin American countries are among the top 20 producers: Colombia in fourth place, Guatemala in sixth, Honduras in ninth place, Brazil in 10th place, Ecuador in 11th, and Costa Rica in 16th.

All these countries share stories linked to socio-environmental conflicts related to this monoculture.

Lack of transparency, a constant in all countries

In this new stage of Following the palm prints the same patterns were observed as last year: lack of transparency and access to information. For example, we identified that of the 298 cases that were documented in the six countries, in 251 of them there was some type of environmental impact, but it was not possible to know in depth the implications in each of them, despite having requested that information. to official authorities.

In 181 cases it was not possible to determine the state of the sanctioning process (corresponding to the category “undetermined state”) and in 42 of them it was not reported whether an investigation had been initiated.

Only in 80 of the 298 processes was it confirmed that the producer received a sanction, that he had to carry out some environmental compensation, that he made some improvement in his production process or that, in the end, he was exonerated from guilt.

In many of the cases, the authorities did not indicate such basic data as the exact year in which the events occurred (102 records) or the name of the company or person investigated (17 records).

The absence of this information, despite the fact that it was formally requested, is worrying since it reflects the weakness of the authorities to control and monitor the environmental practices of the palm oil industry.

To consult the investigations of each country, click here.

*Following the palm prints is a cross-border investigation coordinated by Mongabay Latam in alliance with Ocote Agency from Guatemala, The Space Bar of Ecuador, the international media France 24Y countercurrent Y Bus Line 84 from Honduras.

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General edition: Alexa Velez, Antonio Paz, Thelma Gomez, Maria Isabel Torres. Journalistic coordination:Antony Paz. Research and database analysis: Gabriela Quevedo, Yuli Santana, Karla Mendes, Carmen Quintela, José David López, Jennifer Ávila, Arelí Palomo Contreras, Roberto Chávez, María Clara Calle, Noelia Esquivel, Alexis Serrano and Diego Cazar. Reporters: Antonio Paz, Karla Mendes, José David López, Carlos Alonzo, Arelí Palomo Contreras, Roberto Chávez, María Clara Calle, Noelia Esquivel and Alexis Serrano. Data visualization and design: Rocío Arias and Daniel Gómez. Audiences and networks: Dalia Medina and Richard Romero.