There has been a lot of chatter in recent months about the price of your coffee shop brew (with £5 coffees now becoming an everyday part of life), and we are now getting a whole lot less latte for our money. But there is a cost of living crisis going on and cafes need to make back losses, so it is to be expected. Our homemade coffees are safe from such inflation, surely?
Unfortunately that is far from the truth, but it has less to do with the current economic climate and more to do with the actual climate. Global warming, and the effect it is having on the planet poses a significant threat to the coffee industry, with the best-case scenario being that your beans will cost a lot more over the next few decades, and the worst case is that some varieties may disappear altogether. We are already beginning to see the effects of climate change on the coffee industry, but it isn’t too late to slow the rate at which it is progressing. Here’s our deep dive into the subject.
How does climate change affect the coffee industry?
As with any produce that is grown rather than created, the end result is at the mercy of many variables beyond our control. Yet coffee fares worse off than many, due to the hyper-specific growing needs of the plant, which is already only found in a small number of locations across the planet. The delicate conditions required for coffee cultivation are being increasingly disrupted by rising temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, and the spread of pests and diseases, making every harvest that bit more precarious than the last.
Now, we are all well versed in why global warming is bad for the environment, but what is it in particular that will happen to the coffee growing industry?
- Shrinking Suitable Growing Areas: As temperatures rise, the geographical areas suitable for coffee cultivation are shrinking, or disappearing altogether. Many traditional coffee-growing regions are becoming too hot for optimal production. The only positive from this shift is that some areas are now becoming warm enough to grow coffee. Maybe one day you will even be able to grow coffee in the UK.
- Reduced Yields and Quality: Drastic climate fluctuations, droughts or conversely heavy rainfall all negatively impact coffee yields and bean quality, which spells disaster for growers and consumers equally. Smaller quantities of viable crops and variable quality beans lead both to wasted produce and lower profit for the seller or higher prices for the buyer: us.
- Pest and Disease Outbreaks: While we may be enjoying a greater number of sunny days, coffee farms see them as a risk: warmer temperatures create ideal conditions for pests and diseases (such as coffee leaf rust) which devastate crops and increase production costs.
- Economic Hardship for Farmers: Then there is the economic impact on the people living in the regions that grow coffee, both singular and as a community. Climate-related challenges threaten the livelihoods of millions of coffee farmers, particularly small-scale producers who lack the resources to adapt, but also countries that rely on export as a major source of income on which to run their infrastructures or tourism.
Who is being hit the worst by climate change?
As with most things that require costly interventions and new technology, climate change is disproportionately affecting poorer nations, who also happen to make up a large majority of the coffee-growing locations.
Brazil is the world's largest coffee producer but is now facing more frequent and intense droughts and persistent problems with coffee leaf rust, impacting yields and quality. Yet in 2021, they suffered a freak frost that wiped out nearly all of the arabica coffee crops in the country. Similarly, Colombia is dealing with challenges such as unpredictable rainfall patterns and rising temperatures, affecting the development of coffee beans. Meanwhile, countries in Central America, including Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua, are experiencing extreme weather events like hurricanes and prolonged droughts, leading to devastation in coffee farms.
And across the Atlantic Ocean, the story is much the same. Ethiopia is widely considered the birthplace of coffee, but it may be facing a future without it. It is currently grappling with changing rainfall patterns, soil erosion, and the spread of pests, all which pose significant challenges to large-scale coffee production. In East Africa, countries such Kenya and Tanzania rely on their coffee industry but they too are feeling the effects of increased temperatures and altered rainfall on their coffee production.
Countries in Asia are suffering too: Indonesia, the world's fourth-largest coffee producer, is vulnerable to climate change impacts due to deforestation, soil erosion, and similarly extreme weather to its neighbours in Africa. In Vietnam, a region that has seen unprecedented growth as a coffee producer is now seeing the fallout: the rapid expansion of coffee cultivation has resulted in widespread deforestation and environmental degradation, making the industry more susceptible to the impacts of climate change, severe storms, typhoons, floods, and landslides are all becoming a fact of life in the country, with no sign of anything changing any time soon.
While more prosperous countries may be able to better deal with the changes and invest in modern technology to help mitigate the losses and slow the decline, uncertainty is a fact of life in the coffee industry on a global scale.
What is being done to slow the impact of climate change on coffee?
As with the countless other ways that climate change is affecting the planet, the coffee industry is at a crossroads, with time running out to actively address the challenges posed by climate change and ensure the future of this beloved beverage and the livelihoods of millions of people who depend on it. It is not all doom and gloom however, there are those who have been working hard at coming up with solutions to the problem.
Adapting to the new way of the world is happening slowly, and usually on a small scale, with farmers or locations trying out a variety of options to help mitigate the effects of the increasingly unpredictable weather. These include research into developing climate-resilient coffee varieties and age-old methods being set aside in order for farmers to adopt sustainable farming practices, such as agroforestry and organic cultivation, to both help them weather the changes but also to actively slow down the effects on the land itself.
To help alleviate the financial toll of all of this, many farmers are having to diversify their income sources by growing other crops or engaging in ecotourism. This is helped somewhat by financial support, training, and access to markets which aims to empower coffee farmers to adapt to climate change and strengthen their resilience.
But real change will come when things are adopted on a larger, perhaps even world-wide, scale, and there are a few initiatives that are trying to make that happen:
Initiatives to Address Climate Change in the Coffee Industry
- Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN): This organisation promotes sustainable coffee farming practices and supports farmer communities in adapting to climate change.
- Rainforest Alliance: Certified coffee beans ensure that farms meet strict environmental, social, and economic standards, helping to protect biodiversity and improve farmers' livelihoods.
- Fairtrade: Fairtrade certification guarantees fair prices for anyone who grows the products it certifies. This includes coffee farmers. They also work at supporting community development projects, including those focused on climate resilience.
- Research and Development: Investments in research to develop climate-resistant coffee varieties and sustainable farming techniques are crucial for the industry's future. Shade grown coffee (which helps protect biodiversity, reduce erosion, and regulate microclimates) and Agroforestry (the integration of coffee with other crops and trees can improve soil health, water retention, and carbon sequestration) are two examples of how bio-science is rising to the challenge of creating solutions for the future.
There are so many organisations working hard to make sure everyone who can effect change, is doing so. These include:
- World Coffee Research (WCR) is a non-profit organisation that is leading the way in coffee research. Their focus is on developing climate-resilient coffee varieties, improving agricultural practices, and providing support to coffee farmer communities.
- The Sustainable Coffee Challenge, an initiative led by the Sustainable Coffee Platform, brings industry stakeholders together to address sustainability challenges within the coffee sector, particularly focusing on issues related to climate change.
- The Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center works with coffee farmers to implement bird-friendly practices that also help lessen the impacts of climate change.
- The Climate-Smart Coffee project concentrates on developing climate-smart coffee production systems in Ethiopia, Colombia, and Peru.
It's important to note, however, that the coffee industry is a complex ecosystem with interconnected challenges, not all of which will need to be addressed in the same way with a blanket response. Addressing climate change requires a multi-faceted approach involving farmers, roasters, consumers, and governments working together to create a sustainable future.
What can we do individually to help?
Now that you have an understanding of the challenges faced by the coffee industry and what initiatives are out there, there are a few ways that you can help to ensure the future of our most beloved beverage.
As a consumer, you can contribute to a more sustainable coffee industry by:
- Choosing certified coffee: Look for certifications like Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance, or Organic, which often prioritise sustainability, such as our Rwanda Twongerekawa Coko beans which are both organic and Fairtrade.
- Supporting speciality coffee roasters, such as the Coffee Bean Shop, who prioritise direct relationships with coffee farmers and sustainable sourcing, as well as actively visiting the sites themselves. Most speciality coffee roasters are small businesses that are passionate about coffee and go out of their way to find beans that are both delicious and are sourced from sustainable farms. It is because of these very roasteries that we have the whole Third Wave Coffee movement, which focuses on traceable, premium Single Origin coffees at all.
- Reducing waste: Compost coffee grounds or recycle them for other purposes. We’ve got a handy blog post that talks all about how best to reuse your coffee grounds.
- Engaging with brands: Let coffee companies know that you care about sustainability and climate change. It is a supply-and-demand world out there, so talk with your purchasing power!
- Explore alternatives: While we would never suggest switching to a different drink altogether (the horror!) But do consider switching up your usual brew. While we all have our favourite blend or single origin, it;s always a good idea to try out other types to diversify your consumption. You never know, you may find something truly amazing!
Final Thoughts
While the cost of coffee in general is increasing, buying quality coffee beans to brew at home will always be cheaper than when consumed in a coffee shop, where other contributing factors of inflation are added to your bill.
Regardless of how you get your daily cup of Joe, it is an unavoidable fact that something has to be done to halt or alleviate the changes to our beloved industry. Don’t let our legacy be the disappearance of one of the best drinks known to man. Coffee has helped us achieve so much, on a singular level day to day, but also in terms of human endeavour as a whole. Let’s show it, and the planet, the respect that it deserves.