And palm oil operations in Indonesia and Malaysia have been particularly destructive, leading to wide-scale deforestation and carbon dioxide emissions, studies show.

Political pressure has led local governments to clamp down on some of the most egregious practices. But is it working?

News out of Indonesia is that the government is failing to take action against the illegal expansion of palm oil plantations that are decimating peat forests.

Read the story on Mongabay.com here.

Locally, HECO has been importing Malaysian palm oil for several years for use in one of its generators — the electric utility has stressed that the company, Sime-Darby, complies with strict environmental controls.