Summary
Zachlod et al. [1] analysed satellite data from Malaysian oil palm plantations and concluded that RSPO certification reduces plantation efficiency by lowering canopy coverage. Our reanalysis of 93,987 ha shows that their methods and interpretation are fundamentally flawed, primarily because they failed to account for routine replanting, which caused temporary canopy loss in 32.7% of certified areas between 2018 and 2023. Using validated remote sensing methods and cross-verified timelines, we found no significant decline in oil palm coverage and no evidence of reduced oil palm coverage in certified plantations. Given the risk of policy misinterpretation, we recommend that Zachlod et al. correct or retract their study and call for more rigorous, transparent, and context-aware evaluations of sustainability outcomes in plantation systems.