Over 1000tc/ha carbon stock in one oil palm cycle

In an analysis that is thorough in inclusion of carbon in all elements in palm oil from oil palm roots to fronds, cover crop, ffb and efb, and pome, AAR gives a one cycke carbon accumulation measure of over 1,000 tonnes carbon per hectare.

Khor Reports comment: This will be an eye opener in the contestation over palm oil sustainability. This is a vast difference to figures used by the TFT/Greenpeace schemes that use an old indicator of 35 based on an indeterminate number of old studies. Ngo-driven voluntary certification efforts are hampered by literature reviews of uncertain quality and citing often dated studies. The AAR study is a good scientific counterargument. It should generate a flurry of scientific studies to review uncertain measures and indicators used in many voluntary standards. What will happen to high carbon stock arguments? Some big players are said to be ready settle on 75+ tonnes carbon per ha. They might want to make more studies. AAR is a joint research unit of KL Kepong and Boustead.