Forest for the Trees Malaysia is threatening to block imports from the EU due to Brussels’ decision to restrict palm oil’s eligibility under the Renewable Energy Directive (RED). Instead, European officials are considering making U.S. soybeans eligible for RED as a carrot in trade negotiations with the Donald. However, consistency would suggest a halt to using any food as an energy source. Ultimately, what bothers Europe is deforestation of wilderness areas in Malaysia and Indonesia to make way for palm kernel production. Southeast Asians see hypocrisy since Western nations denuded their landscape for economic reasons, leaving forested levels pale by comparison to this day. Approximately 5 percent of the U.S. is protected land...

TAGS – Asia, Europe, North America