Documentary Highlights Rising Biofuel Demand in Asia

A new documentary has revealed the environmental and social impacts of the increasing demand for biofuels in Asia, premiering as part of the Bangkok Climate Action Week on Wednesday (07/10/2026). Produced by Solutions for Our Climate (SFOC), the documentary traces the expansion of biofuels, ranging from palm oil plantations in Indonesia to the rising demand for biofuels in South Korea.

The film was screened alongside a documentary produced by the Japan-based Global Environment Forum (GEF), which highlights the expansion of forest biomass and energy plantations in Indonesia. Marihel Parda Winda, the Forest and Land Use Program Officer at SFOC, expressed the profound sadness felt when witnessing the destruction occurring near her home.

She expressed concern regarding the replacement of forests with monoculture plantations. “Communities are losing so much that the forests provide, from biodiversity and livelihoods to various functions that sustain their lives,” said Marihel, the central figure in the documentary, in a press release in Jakarta on Thursday (08/10/2026).