Socapalm Palm Oil Refinery Effluents in Cameroon

Effluents from the Socapalm (Société Camerounaise de Palmeraies) Palm Oil Refinery near Dibombari are spoiling local water supply. Socapalm and other subsidiaries of Socfin (Société Financière des Caoutchoucs) in Cameroon run almost 60.000 ha of concessions. If not managed under a Zero-deforestation policy, oil-palm and rubber expansion are a threat to natural forest and local communities.

Unique identifier: GP0STPVR7

Type: Image

Shoot date: 11/03/2016

Locations: Africa, Cameroon, Dibombari

Credit line: © Micha Patault / Greenpeace

Ranking: ★★★★ (E)

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Socfin's Investiments Threaten Cameroon's Forests

In March 2016 Greenpeace lead an investigation on Socfin's plantations in Cameroon and published a report titled “Africa’s forests under threat: Socfin’s plantations in Cameroon and Liberia”. The Société Financière des Caoutchoucs (Socfin), one of the leading oil palm and rubber tree plantation operators in Africa, plans to extend its plantations in a dozen countries, mostly African nations, threatening forests that are essential for the preservation of climate balances, biodiversity and the living conditions of local populations. Greenpeace conducted map-based analyses and in-depth field surveys on Socfin's concessions in Cameroon. The case study reveals that Socfin’s business and its refusal to adopt a zero deforestation policy represent a major threat for Cameroon's forests in which the company operates. Greenpeace urges Socfin to adopt immediately and implement a zero deforestation policy, applicable to all its businesses and subsidiaries.

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