(The National) - Palm oil is sometimes seen as a wonder commodity. It is a cheap cooking oil, an ingredient in any number of foods, a biofuel and it is found in numerous consumer products from cosmetics to detergents.
But it is often also regarded as an environmental menace, as vast swathes of tropical forests are destroyed so that palm tree plantations can be grown in their place.
That leads to the question: Can it ever be environmentally sustainable? Experts have expressed hope the answer is yes, but to get there will depend on certain factors.
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