RSPO Enables Faster Detection And Prevention Of Potential Fires Through Hotspot Hub

The RSPO Hotspot Hub Increases Transparency And Accountability of Forest Fires Across RSPO Certified And Non-Certified Palm Oil Concessions

KUALA LUMPUR,Malaysia,July 30,2021 --The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) has launched the RSPO Hotspot Hub,an online platform that utilises advanced satellite technology to provide near real-time information on detected hotspots and potential fires in oil palm plantations in Malaysia and Indonesia. By increasing transparency and accountability,the Hotspot Hub strengthens fire prevention efforts,thereby reducing the risk of transboundary haze events.

"As a result of COVID-19,more farmers may resort to dangerous land clearance methods to make up for financial shortfalls. This increases the risk of forest fires that rage out of control and create toxic haze that will further strain our health systems,harm our environment and threaten the progress we have made towards a haze-free region," said Tiur Rumondang,Assurance Director at RSPO. "The Hotspot Hub enables faster detection of potential fires which means that local stakeholders have the opportunity to respond,long before they become destructive and hard to contain."

The Hotspot Hub is powered by advanced sensor and satellite technology1 which displays hotspots as indications of heat sources on the ground. Upon discovery of a hotspot in,or near,an RSPO-certified concession,the RSPO GIS Team,under the Integrity Unit,contacts the member for verification and reporting. Information about the date,cause and persistence of a fire that took place,as well as the size of the affected area,is captured in the Hotspot Hub. It also documents actions taken by RSPO members to respond to the incident.

To start,the Hotspot Hub will display recorded hotspot data in Malaysia and Indonesia from December 2020,with coverage expanding to Africa and Latin America in due course.

Please visit the following links for more information:

RSPO Hotspot Hub: rspo.org/hotspot-hub

RSPO Hotspot Hub in action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joBykvsPNa4

Learn more about RSPO and its Principles and Criteria 2018 Certification: https://rspo.org/

1MODIS Terra and Aqua,VIIRS NOAA-20,and VIIRS Suomi NPP