Rubber’s forest fury: Southeast Asia’s deforestation problem worse than thought

The rampant deforestation caused by rubber production in Southeast Asia could be much higher than anticipated, potentially two to three times the current estimates. This alarming discovery is a significant concern for importers who are under increasing pressure to source sustainable supplies, as revealed in a recent research study.

Global demand for rubber is on the rise, leading to an escalation in deforestation and loss of biodiversity. With Southeast Asia producing a staggering 90% of the world’s rubber, this region is bearing the brunt of the environmental impact, as pointed out by an international team of researchers.

In the research paper published in the esteemed scientific journal Nature, it was previously believed that rubber cultivation was a relatively minor issue in terms of deforestation, especially when compared to commodities like soy and palm oil.

However, the use of high-resolution satellite data has now unveiled a more concerning reality. This advanced technology has identified a greater number of smallholder-run plantations, indicating that forest losses due to rubber plantations “greatly exceed” previous estimates.

The researchers have found that over 4 million hectares of forest have been cleared for rubber plantations since 1993. The majority of this loss, almost two-thirds, has occurred in Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia.

The total land area dedicated to rubber cultivation in the region, including in China’s primary rubber-producing provinces of Yunnan and Hainan, has increased to over 14 million hectares, up from 10 million in 2020.

Rubber boom, bust

The situation could be even more dire, as many plantations established during the rubber boom two decades ago have since been converted for other uses following the crash in rubber prices in 2011.

In response to the environmental crisis, a new law will be implemented in the European Union at the end of next year. This law aims to prevent commodity importers from purchasing goods that contribute to deforestation. Initially, this law applied to soy, beef, palm oil, wood, cocoa, and coffee, but rubber was added to this list in December at the behest of EU lawmakers.

To avoid penalties, importers will be required to provide evidence that the products they source do not originate from land deforested after 2020.

Antje Ahrends, from the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and lead author of the study, suggests that these rules might incentivise buyers to source rubber from larger producers with less complex supply chains.

“Given the multitude of stages in the rubber supply chain and the scattered nature of rubber production, it is difficult for traders and manufacturers … to locate exact rubber sourcing areas and to verify that no deforestation has occurred.”

Organisations such as the Forest Stewardship Council are making efforts to enhance traceability for smallholders, who contribute to 85% of global production, ensuring their rubber can be sold in Europe.

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