The government wants to open a "working group" to see with Total if it is possible to get oil palm without impact on the forest, said Monday the Secretary of State for the ecological transition Emmanuelle Wargon. "The subject is 'no deforestation on the other side of the world'," she said on CNews, after the imbroglio in the National Assembly around the tax advantage granted to oil of palm.
MEPs voted on Thursday an amendment to postpone the exclusion of palm oil from the list of biofuels (which benefit from a tax advantage) until 2026, before turning back the next day to the outcry aroused by environmentalists.
"For me, the signal is clear: 'no signal to deforestation'"
The group Total in particular is up against this exclusion, which calls into question the viability of its biorefinery La Mède, in the Bouches-du-Rhone, opened in July. "What the company says is that it wants a deadline to adapt its practices.I think we must look with it if it is possible to buy palm oil that does not deforest" said Emmanuelle Wargon Monday.
"There are certifications on these products as on others, given by NGOs, by international organizations, so we said we would open a working group with the company to see if it's possible, but in any case, for me, the signal is clear: 'no signal to deforestation', "she added.
The use of imported palm oil is denounced by environmental associations because its extensive cultivation is fueling deforestation in Southeast Asia. According to Total, La Mède's biorefinery has to process 650,000 tonnes of oils and fats a year and source "sustainable and certified" palm oil up to 300,000 tonnes. But NGOs denounce the ineffectiveness of certification labels and believe that companies can not control indirect deforestation.