Palm oil is a type of vegetable oil that comes from the palm fruit, which grows on a specific type of tree called African oil palm. ... Palm oil trees grow naturally in tropical forest areas, but have now been planted and farmed extensively to produce enough palm oil to satisfy global demand.

Why are palm oil trees bad?

Environmentalists argue that this farming of oil palm trees is extremely bad for the planet. Palm oil production is said to have been responsible for about 8% of the world's deforestation between 1990 and 2008. This is because forests are burned to clear areas where people can grow oil palms - even if it's illegal.

Are palm oil trees good for the environment?

Oil palms grow well in low-lying, tropical regions, which tend to house rainforests and peatlands. They home to an array of endangered species including orangutans, rhinos and tigers. ... Burning of forests to make way for palm pollutes the environment, and deforestation is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions.