How is coffee being affected by the climate crisis?

This is especially true in developing countries, where farmers are the most vulnerable and the effects of the crisis are felt most acutely.

“Small coffee farmers live on the frontline of the climate crisis, despite having contributed little to the problem of global warming,” says Patrick Watt of Christian Aid.

“To address the root causes of the problem, rich countries must deliver on their promises and fund support for farmers in poorer countries to grow climate-resilient crops and diversify their income sources.”

For many of the 70 countries that produce coffee, the industry is fundamental to their economy.

More than half (59%) of Burundi’s export earnings come from the product, while beans account for a third (33%) of Ethiopia’s exports and 17% of Nicaragua’s.

So far, Brazil and Vietnam have been the worst affected, where production will move away from the equator and into the mountains, causing further deforestation and amplifying coffee’s already high carbon footprint (growing a single kilogram of coffee can produce greenhouse gases). gas emissions equivalent to 15.33kg of CO2).

Since this is an obviously flawed solution, lab-grown coffee and synthetic alternatives are being developed that are made from cheaper and more sustainable ingredients, such as ground date seeds.

However, until these reach the market, working alongside farmers – rather than against them – must be a priority, explains David Taylor, senior policy director at the Fairtrade Foundation.

“The catastrophic consequences of environmental deterioration are endangering not only the livelihoods of coffee producers, but also the future of their popular crop,” he says.

“Farming communities play a critical role in addressing the climate crisis and have the expertise to address it.”