INTRODUCTION

The 7th event of ICOPE, the International Conference on Oil Palm and the Environment is scheduled to take place from 15th to 17th April 2020 in Bali-Indonesia with the theme: Optimising the Oil Palm Lifescape for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services.

Alarming reports of the global decline in biodiversity and degradation of ecosystems health, functions and services are making headlines in the news and social media today. Such environmental issues have captured the interest and attention of the public and are currently dominating the agenda of international institutions, international governmental forums, international and national events, as well as the scientific community and civil societies around the world. With climate change and its impacts, tragic at times, becoming more obvious and encompassing all aspects of our daily lives, the future generations seek answers from our leaders that our planet and people are safe and not heading towards a catastrophic future.

We acknowledge that the consequences of climate change and ecosystem health would also impact oil palm performance and the future of the industry built on this versatile and highly productive plant.

The development of pests and diseases, the capacity to reach and maintain the potential production of the palms, the capacity for developing novel and highly productive planting materials, are all inter-related and dependent on the good health of the oil palm agro-system, from the soil to the atmosphere, as well as the good functioning of ecosystems surrounding plantations. The frequency and intensity of extreme climate events are already affecting the performance of the crop and the situation is not expected to improve if no immediate corrective actions are implemented.

All is not doom and gloom for oil palm. The conservation of High Conservation Value and High Carbon Stock areas, implementation of integrated pest management and conservation of soil properties, are all increasingly adopted as part of responsible palm oil development. Research is being pursued including acquiring new knowledge of the ecosystem functions and services in oil palm plantations. There are still innovations to be tested, such as formulating complex oil palm agro-system by adopting new practices and plantation designs.

Since its inception in 2007, ICOPE has brought together the civil and professional societies, governments, institutions, academics and researchers around a common platform. ICOPE 2020 aims to prepare the oil palm industry for the next decade, in line with the United Nations’ objective to achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. ICOPE 2020 ambition is to identify ways in which the sector can positively contribute to the UN Decade of Ecosystems Restoration, to the new pro-nature objectives expected to be agreed at the 2020 COP15 of the IPCC on Biodiversity for the next decade and the 2020 IUCN World Conservation Congress, while considering the Koronivia Joint Work on Agriculture implementation.

ICOPE 2020 will include sessions of :

• Mapping the global effort of the oil palm industry for biodiversity protection.
• Highlighting the future role of oil palm companies to conserve and promote biodiversity
• Addressing the various roles played by local, regional and national governments,local communities and civil society in advocating for and actually conserving biodiversity.
• Presenting the role of science to evaluate the benefits of biodiversity in certification (ISCC, ISPO, MSPO, RSPO, and others).
• Debating the impact of EU and other consumer countries initiatives(the positive and negative consequences, and the possible side effects).
• Sharing knowledge of ecosystem services in oil palm plantation: identification, measurement, conservation, enhancement, and restoration.
• Disseminating experience of good agricultural practices toward the ecological intensification of oil palm cultivation while giving recognition to the genetic adaptability of oil palm and the importance of agro-ecological principles.

Two ways to get involved in ICOPE 2020:

1. CALL FOR PAPERS

Papers are invited for oral or poster presentations at the conference.Contributors are requested to submit an extended abstract(*).

Please send your abstract to publication@icope-series.com

Several posters will be selected and proposed for pitch presentation to support technical presentations.

Please note the following dates :

• Abstract submission(*) start : 15 Dec 2019
• Abstract submission(*) start extended until : 25 Jan 2020
• Announcement of paper acceptance : 01 Feb 2020
• Full paper submission deadline : 01 Mar 2020

(*): we expect extended abstracts with inclusion of objectives, approach and methods, result and conclusion, to be 1 to 2 pages length.Abstract should be typed in single space using Microsoft Word with size 12 Times New Roman.

2. EXHIBITION AND SPONSORSHIP

Companies or organisations wanting to promote their latest products or services related to palm oil and the environment are welcome to showcase to an expected audience of 400 high-level participants, including business executives, government officials, experts and academia, and professionals.

Attractive sponsorship package are available.

Click link below to download 2nd announcement ICOPE 2020

[download]

For more information, contact:

Secretariat of ICOPE 2020
Ms. Nazlya Syahputri   
Phone: +(62) 888 136 7393
Email:secretariat@icope-series.com and registration@icope-series