Palm oil isn’t inherently bad, and olive oil isn’t inherently good, conservation scientists say in an opinion paper publishing October 16 in the Cell Press journal Cell Reports Sustainability. They argue that the vegetable oil industry is haunted by narratives and myths about different types of oil crops, but the reality is much more nuanced. Almost all oils—including soybean, olive, coconut, and sesame oil—are associated with biodiversity and human rights issues in some contexts, depending on crop management and supply chains. The researchers call for greater transparency and regulation to enable consumers to make informed decisions about their oil choices. 

In the search for eco-friendly alternatives to synthetic herbicides, researchers from Kyushu University, Japan, have identified a potent, weed-inhibiting compound in the leaves of the Manchurian walnut tree (Juglans mandshurica Maxim.). The discovery of the compound, 2Z-decaprenol, and its unique mode of action on plants could lead to the development of more sustainable herbicides. The study was published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

The pulp and paper industry consumes large amounts of energy. But despite stricter EU requirements for efficiency improvements, there has been no way to measure and compare energy consumption between different companies in a fair way. In collaboration with the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, researchers at Linköping University, Sweden, now present a solution that has great potential to be used throughout the EU.

Air pollution is dramatically reshaping tropical rainfall patterns. In a new study, scientists found that increasing aerosol concentrations over the Maritime Continent strengthens oceanic rainfall while suppressing and delaying land rain peaks to midnight. This newly identified shift, revealed through high-resolution modeling and satellite data, has major implications for forecasting and climate prediction in Southeast Asia.