Defra has claimed success on pledges to ensure that palm oil imported into the UK is sustainably and ethically sourced. However, the controversial resource remains a subject of grave concern.

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Palm oil is already the most used vegetable oil worldwide, and demand continues to grow; the oil is used in a range of products from food to cosmetics, though rocketing demand has led to deforestation and pollution on a massive scale, threatening endemic species in tropical regions and contributing to civil strife.

On Tuesday, Defra celebrated the publication of a new report showing that more than half of the palm oil imported into the country came from sustainable sources, though concerns persist that, despite some progress there is still a large demand for palm oil that has been produced in a damaging way, and that current assurance schemes offer only weak protection at best.

The report, the first review of UK palm oil consumption in four years, and the first since an agreement was made in 2012 to source 100 per cent sustainable palm oil by 2015, shows a marked increase in UK importers sourcing certified palm oil. In 2009, around 24 per cent of palm oil was sustainably sourced, but the latest figures show an increase to 52 percent.

In the UK, the government has put pressure on businesses to protect areas from deforestation by committing to only using 100 per cent sustainable palm oil by 2015, however, these commitments remain voluntary and have been challenged by environment groups who maintain that the standards set by the pledge are not being enforced.

Commitments under the internationally recognised Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) standards, which covers around 40 percent of palm oil sourced worldwide have been criticised by Greenpeace who said "RSPO members are taking no steps to avoid the worst practices associated with the industry, such as large-scale forest clearance and taking land from local people without their consent." 

The government has supported the If They’re Gone campaign which aims to raise awareness of the threats to endangered species, such as the orang-utan. Many of these, including the orang-utan, are endemic to areas under threat from palm plantations, such as the island of Borneo. In addition to concerns over biodiversity loss, reports of land rights abuses and legal infractions against indigenous communities are rife. Earlier this month, Marcus Colchester, a spokesperson for the Forest Peoples Programme, lamented the "failure of 'voluntary best practice'" presided over by the RSPO, which has no jurisdiction over non-member companies and even lacks power to compel its own members to comply with guidelines. He told the Guardian that "Underlining this failure…are national laws and policies which deny or ignore indigenous peoples' and communities' land rights."

Environment groups have called for more transparency and for action to stop unsustainable use of palm oil, they want governments all over the world to act to stop deforestation, the abuse of local communities and the draining of peatlands for palm plantations (Tropical deforestation is also a major source of pollution – the process is currently responsible for about 18 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions).

Speaking on Monday, Defra spokesperson Lord de Mauley backed the existing commitments to sustainable palm production. He said, "By preserving natural habitats we can protect endangered species such as the orang-utan who are at risk due to deforestation. We've seen a massive decline in their numbers in recent years and the rate of their demise is set to continue rapidly unless we stop forests from being destroyed.

"As part of the government's commitment to sustainable palm oil, all food ingredients labels will have to specify when palm oil is used in a product by December 2014."