(Photo by Jameswasswa via Wikimedia Commons/CC BY-SA 4.0)
I began writing this article, with my notes open on my left side and a steaming cup of coffee on my right. The smell of my freshly ground coffee from Guatemala is incredible. I purchased it from a small independent coffee roastery in Belgium; it’s my favourite roast.
As I take my first sip, my mind begins to wander. Who picked my coffee? In what conditions was it grown? How did these little beans travel from the hills of Guatemala to my cup in Brussels? Like many consumers, I have rarely paid much attention to where my coffee comes from.
The cup of coffee I am enjoying is only one of over 2 billion cups consumed today. Every day, approximately 1 billion people worldwide drink coffee, making it the second most popular drink after water. Although most coffee consumers live in the Global North, coffee only grows in countries near the equator. This is because coffee plants require a tropical climate to grow.
The Environmental Impact of Coffee
The environmental impacts of the coffee industry are well-established. Firstly, coffee is one of the world’s most exported goods. Its transportation, most commonly by cargo ship or plane, emits significant levels of CO2. Coffee exports are responsible for 15% of coffee-related greenhouse gas emissions.
Yet, there are additional environmental concerns that often go undiscussed. Coffee production has increased by 60% in the last 30 years to meet higher demand. Therefore, coffee farming has become more intensive in many areas to keep up with this trend. Intensive coffee farming practices have led to soil erosion and vast deforestation.
The Impact of Climate Change on Coffee
On the flip side, people frequently overlook the impact of climate change on coffee. Coffee plants can only thrive in a very particular set of climatic conditions. High temperatures and increased rainfall across the Tropics have caused smaller harvests, threatening farmers’ livelihoods. Scientists predict the land suitable for growing coffee could shrink by 54% by 2100.
The Impact on Coffee Farmers
Consumers’ wallets are beginning to feel the effects of smaller harvests and, consequently, smaller exports. In 2024, Brazil, the world’s main coffee producer, experienced devastating droughts that greatly reduced coffee exports. The fallout from the droughts will last well into 2025.
Despite the rising prices for consumers, farmers are barely able to turn a profit. The rising prices are largely due to the increased costs of protecting their farms from the effects of the climate crisis.
Smallholdings, farms under 50 acres, produce well over half of the world’s coffee. Of these smallholders, over 40% are living below the poverty line. The unpredictability of the changing industry leaves smallholders at greater risk of losing additional income. Researchers have reported that stress is harming farmers’ mental and physical well-being.
Sustainable Coffee Practices
As consumers become more aware of the ethical implications of their coffee habits, they are increasingly turning to more sustainable coffee brands. When it comes to coffee and ethics, concerns often go beyond environmental risks. For example, in 2023, Repórter Brazil accused the coffee chain Starbucks of using suppliers associated with human rights violations.
To learn more about sustainable coffee practices, I spoke to Elias Bayter from Forest Coffee. Forest Coffee is a network of over 200 coffee producers in Colombia. The organization aims “to empower farmers, ensure fair pricing, and showcase the richness of Colombian coffee.” Elias Bayter co-founded Forest Coffee alongside his brother, Shady Bayter.
“We are really seeing the impact of climate change.”
Bayter and I first discussed how climate change is already beginning to affect coffee growing in Colombia. He shook his head and sighed as he told me: “We are really seeing the impact. The main harvest used to be in March but now it’s in October. Normally, we have two harvests yearly, but two years ago, we only had one. It makes it hard to plan and have stability.”
“There has to be value-added.”
Bayter states that producers are increasingly recognizing the benefits of environmentally friendly practices. The recognition is in response to the challenges of a changing climate and also because it can add economic value. As consumers are seeking more sustainable coffee, so too are roasters. Therefore, growers can charge roasters more for sustainably grown beans.
Bayter outlined some of the main steps farms take to promote sustainability in Colombia. These steps include the use of solar and hydroelectric power, using fewer pesticides, and reforestation. Bayter spent some time detailing the many benefits of reforestation with native trees. He explained that it minimises soil erosion, captures CO2, and provides shade to coffee plants, protecting them from increasing temperatures.
However, these practices come at an immediate cost to farmers, which can be a problem for smallholdings. Bayter is wary of telling producers to change how they work without analyzing the costs and benefits: “They might say, ‘Why should I take on these extra costs?’ There has to be value added.”
“A lack of opportunities is one of the main barriers.”
It is a vicious circle. The smallholders, who are the most impacted by climate change, have the fewest resources to implement change. “A lack of opportunities is one of the main barriers,” Bayter told me. He explained that practices such as reforestation yield smaller harvests, causing growers to lose money.
In the long term, reforestation can protect coffee plants and increase sales value. In the short term, many farmers do not have the financial means to adopt such practices.
“If a producer has fifty coffees, they have fifty stories to tell.”
As I wrap up my article, I glance at my now-empty coffee cup and consider Bayter’s final message: “If a producer has fifty coffees, they have fifty stories to tell.”
“When you drink coffee, you might think it’s just a coffee,” he said, “but you should try to understand where the coffee comes from and the work behind it.” He strongly believes that increasing awareness about the production of different coffees will lead to more informed choices. Forest Coffee invites roasters to Colombia to learn about the production process so they can share the stories with consumers.
Like many in the coffee industry, he acknowledges that the future of coffee is uncertain: “There is less production overall but more people drinking coffee. It doesn’t add up. It is a difficult situation.”
But a world without coffee is one he simply cannot imagine.
Edited by Emma Webb
