New oil palm plantings starting January 1, 2010, must be in accordance with the RSPO Procedures for New Plantings (NPP). New oil palm plantings in the context of these procedures mean lands planned or proposed for oil palm plantings but upon which no work towards that end has commenced as at January 1, 2010. The new procedures are specified in the following documents and guidance. The guidance also provides for lands where work has commenced or where work has commenced on part of the land.
What are the key steps for RSPO NPP?
- Conduct Impact Assessment (HCV assessment must be conducted through licensed HCV assessors)
- Prepare Implementation Plan
- Verification by Certification Body
- Public Notification on the RSPO website for at least 30 days
- If no comments are received, proceed with new plantings.
- If comments are made, the company has to address these comments until satisfactory resolution. Only then may the company proceed with new proposed development. If not, the comment will be escalated to the Complaints Panel.
New announcement on C7.8
In order to facilitate the implementation of new elements introduced in Principle 7 of the RSPO P&C 2013, the RSPO secretariat announced that the requirements under Criterion 7.8 shall be reported as of 1st August 2014. After due consideration of the concerns raised, a deferred timing has been allowed. For new plantings where the NPP is submitted from 1st Jan 2015 onwards, compliance to C7.8 will be mandatory. In the meantime, submission is still strongly encouraged. Evidence of compliance will be proof of submission of report related to C7.8 at the same time as the NPP report.
Public reporting of the requirements under Criterion 7.8 remains voluntary until 31st December 2016. Requirements under Criterion 7.8 will be reported to the RSPO Secretariat separately as standalone document at the same time as the standard NPP report. It will not be uploaded onto the RSPO website. However, as required under the RSPO P&C, it will be made available to the ERWG. As of 1st January 2017, when public reporting becomes mandatory, requirements under Criterion 7.8 will be published together with the standard NPP report.
NEW NPP Documents (2015)
