Palm, coconut, and soybean oils are extensively utilized across cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and the food industry. A team of researchers from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich assessed the risks that the rising use of oilseed crops poses to biodiversity. The findings from this study, which integrated global data on land use and production, were published in the journal Nature Food.
The Zurich-based scientists examined 19 varieties of oilseed crops and determined that oil palm, soybeans, and coconuts have the greatest environmental impact. Between 1995 and 2020, biodiversity loss escalated by 80%, with tropical regions being particularly affected, as the expansion of palm plantations drives deforestation of other trees and disrupts ecosystems.
The experts also evaluated the influence of oilseed cultivation on the global supply chain. They traced the flow of soybean and palm oils from fields to points of consumption. This allowed them to discover that soy from Brazil is used as animal feed in China or Europe, thereby boosting meat consumption. Meanwhile, demand for palm oil in the United States and the European Union triggers the expansion of agricultural land areas, resulting in reduced biodiversity.
To halt the extinction of animals and plants, the researchers recommend promoting environmentally friendly production methods while curbing deforestation, as well as shifting consumption patterns. If people become aware of the harm certain products cause to biodiversity in other regions, there is a chance they will alter their dietary habits and learn to choose items that inflict less damage on the environment.
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