Oils from crops such as coconut, palm oil and soybean are used in a range of applications, from cosmetics and makeup to margarine and spreads, and from medicines to animal feed. These oil crops, as they are known, are increasingly consumed and cultivated. This has an impact on the environment. But what exactly is that impact?

The study examined 19 oil crops. “Three of which caused a particularly large share of the impacts: oil palm, soybean and coconut,” says Shuntian Wang, a doctoral student on Pfister’s team. Together, they account for some 75% of the biodiversity loss caused by oil crops.

At the same time, the study highlights a clear development: Between 1995 and 2020, biodiversity loss rose by around 80%. But this is not primarily caused by global population growth.

  • Cartilogen@mander.xyzEnglish
    0·
    1 month ago

    Palms are usually hard and slow to grow due to how fast the soil nutrients get depleted by them, they also alter the soil a lot. I can’t read the article but I guess the reason has something to do with it.

  • ShotDonkey@lemmy.worldEnglish
    0·
    1 month ago

    Palm oil, even though plant based, must be considered equally harmful as meat, eggs and dairy from a vegan standpoint.