WASHINGTON, D.C. - Recent revelations that Greenpeace exaggerated its claims about the Indonesian palm oil industry and Sinar Mas come as no surprise considering the historical pattern of gross misrepresentation of the facts by the organization in its zeal to smear the oil palm industry and impose anti-poor, anti-development policies on the people of Indonesia. World Growth issued the following statement:

"Findings of the audit of Indonesian palm oil producer PT Smart by two leading inspection experts reveal Greenpeace's claims of environmental damage by the company are baseless and distorted. One example - Greenpeace claimed the company deforested virgin forest, but auditors found no evidence to support that claim.

"Greenpeace's campaign against Indonesian palm oil rests on a bogus set of ‘facts' and scurrilous allegations readymade for CNN and Facebook - a Greenpeace forte.

"The audit further demonstrates that decisions by both Unilever and Nestle to stop purchases of palm oil was rash. By caving to Greenpeace's demands without first investigating their claims, these major Western corporations raise questions about what regard they have for the workers whose livelihoods are provided by the palm oil industry, of which some three million are small landholders.

"This audit is also a reminder that Greenpeace has been a serial offender in the use of unethical tactics for nearly 20 years. It seriously exaggerated the environmental impact of the disposal of the Brent Spar oil rig in the North Sea in 1991. In 2008, it wrongly claimed a timber ship it illegally seized in the Gulf of Papua contained illegal timber and belonged to the largest forestry company in Papua New Guinea.

"Greenpeace uses misrepresentations to greenmail global companies into supporting their campaigns by threatening to damage their reputations and valuable brands.

"World Growth does not expect Greenpeace to changes its ways. Instead it urges large corporations to realize that when they fall in line with Greenpeace they condone the disregard of ethics and fundamentally undermine the credibility of their own standards of good corporate behavior. They effectively endorse campaigns based on fabrications which are designed to damage industries which create jobs and reduce poverty in developing countries. These companies should call Greenpeace to account, not fold to its threats."

To speak with World Growth's experts, please email
miriam@worldgrowth.org or call +1-866-467-7200.

World Growth is a non-profit, non-governmental organization established with an educational and
charitable mission to expand the education, information and other resources available to disadvantaged populations to improve their health and economic welfare. At World Growth, we embrace and celebrate the new age of globalization and the power of free trade to eradicate poverty and improve living conditions for people in the developing world. For more information on World Growth, visit www.worldgrowth.org.


World Growth Palm Oil Green Development Campaign

EU Commission Clarification Further Highlights Protectionist Impact of Renewable Energy Directive
Press Release - August 4, 2010

Palm Oil - The Green Development Oil Newsletter - Issue 7, June 2010
Monthly Newsletter - June 22, 2010

EU Biofuels Directive Binds EC to Breach Global Trade Rules
Press Release - June 10, 2010

World Growth Forestry and Poverty Project

Forestry and Poverty Newsletter - Issue 14, July 2010
Monthly Newsletter - July 23, 2010

Forestry and Poverty Newsletter - Issue 13, June 2010
Monthly Newsletter - June 22, 2010

US ‘Green Protectionism' Threatens Indonesia's Paper Industry
Press Release - June 8, 2010

World Growth In The News

Palm Oil Industry and Poverty Reduction
Jakarta Post Editorial by Alan Oxley - July 12, 2010

Commission Sets Rules for Green Biofuel Label
EurActiv - June 10, 2010

Of Biofuels, Land Grabs and Food Prices
New York Times Green Inc. Blog - April 5, 2010

Resources

Clarification of the European Commission's Position on the Renewable Energy Directive
August 2010 - Green Papers: Issue V

Green Protectionism: The New Tool Against Forestry in Developing Countries
June 2010 - A Study by World Growth

Caught Red Handed: The Myths, Exaggerations and Distortions of Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth and Rainforest Action Network
May 2010 - Green Papers: Issue IV

Greenmail
May 2010 - Green Papers: Issue III

Collateral Damage: How the Bogus Campaign Against Palm Oil Harms the Poor
December 2009 - A Study by World Growth

Conversion - The Immutable Link between Forestry and Development
December 2009 - A Study by World Growth

The New Face of European Environmental Protectionism: Forestry and Climate Change
December 2009 - A World Growth Briefing

Forestry and Biodiversity: A Healthy Report
December 2009 - A Study by World Growth

Green Poverty
November 2009 - Green Papers: Issue II

Don't Bag Indonesia's Poor
October 2009 - Green Papers: Issue I

Palm Oil - The Sustainable Oil
September 2009 - A study by World Growth

Back to Basics: Restoring Economic Growth to the Aid Agenda
September 2009 - A study by World Growth.

Forestry And The Poor: How Forestry Reduces Poverty
August 2009 - A study by World Growth.

Forestry and Development: Building the Foundations for Sustainability
April 2009 - A study by World Growth.

Winners All: How Forestry Can Reduce Both Climate Change Emissions and Poverty - A Pro-Development Program
December 2008 - A study by World Growth.

The Real Climate Threat to Developing Countries - Early, Deep Cuts in Emissions;
December 2007 - A study by World Growth.

Technologies for Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Strategic Outlook;
November 2007 - A study by World Growth.

Building a Pro-Development Global Strategy on Climate Change;
August 2007 - A study by Alan Oxley, Chairman of World Growth and former Chairman of the GATT.

About World Growth

World Growth is a non-profit, non-governmental organization established with an educational and charitable mission to expand the education, information and other resources available to disadvantaged populations to improve their health and economic welfare. At World Growth, we embrace and celebrate the new age of globalization and the power of free trade to eradicate poverty and improve living conditions for people in the developing world. For more information on World Growth, visit www.worldgrowth.org