An additional 12 Mha of palms could be required, if average yields continue to rise
as in the past. This need not be at the expense of forest; oil palm planted on anthropogenic
grassland could supply all the oil required for edible purposes in 2050. However, biofuel
demand might greatly exceed that for edible use, and the interchangeability of the major
oils, for edible and biofuel uses, means that this demand will drive oil palm expansion,
whether or not palm oil is actually used for biodiesel. The importance of subsidies for
biodiesel, the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil and the roles of banks and NGOs are briefly discussed.