Humans are affected in many ways because of palm oil plantations. Some of the things that affect humans are climate change, Government policies and economic impacts.
Due to burning the rain forest to get rid of the trees, climate change is being further impacted. Forest fires release carbon into the atmosphere, which in turn contributes to higher global temperatures. Smoke from the fires is causing health issues for people who suffer from respiratory diseases. Peat soil fires are very hard to put out, and may last weeks. This contributes further to global warming, as well as causing health issues. Fire outbreaks add to decades of existing deforestation by palm oil, timber and other agribusiness operators, further endangering species such as the orangutan.
The government takes the land from the people to grow palm oil plantations. The local people lose their culture because the government takes away their land. This gives the government money and they don’t pay the people much money.
The people have to no option but to work on the palm oil plantations. The adults have to work long hours and it’s children as well. They have to carry heavy loads and climb the trees to earn money or come with their parents because they don’t go to school. Many local people remain poor and are reliant on the palm oil industry to survive.
Palm Oil Plantations 