Tag: climate impact

Coffee Carbon Footprint: How Sustainable Is Your Cup?

Posted on by Qahwa World

By: Ennio Cantergiani – Académie du Café

You may have seen claims that coffee emits 2 kg of CO₂e per kilogram, or figures exceeding 28 kg CO₂e per kilogram.
On a per-cup basis, estimates range from around 50 grams to more than 250 grams of CO₂e.

So which number is correct?
All of them — depending on what is being measured.

  • 1) System boundaries: what’s included?

The largest source of variation comes from the life-cycle assessment (LCA) scope used in different studies:

Farm gate only: cultivation and primary processing

Roasted coffee delivered: adds transport, roasting, and packaging

Cup footprint: includes brewing energy and waste

This is why datasets such as Our World in Data report higher coffee emissions than many other foods. They rely on full supply-chain assessments, similar to those developed by Poore and Nemecek, which capture impacts from farm to consumption.

  • 2) Origin dominates the footprint

At the farm level, origin often accounts for 40–80% of total emissions. Key drivers include:

Use of nitrogen fertilizers, which generate nitrous oxide emissions

Land-use change and deforestation

Low yields, which increase land and input intensity per kilogram

Energy use in wet processing and drying

Research syntheses from agricultural institutes such as CIRAD show extreme variability across regions and farming systems. Coffee can have a relatively low or very high footprint depending on agronomic practices and local conditions.

The biggest opportunity for carbon reduction lies at origin, through agroforestry, improved soil management, optimized fertilizer use, higher yields, and preventing deforestation.

  • 3) Brewing method matters more than expected

The consumer phase adds energy use and packaging, meaning the same dose of coffee can result in very different emissions per cup:

Instant coffee (small dose, no machine): ~50–80 g CO₂e

Filter or moka (simple heating): ~80–170 g CO₂e

Espresso machines (electricity and standby losses): ~110–220 g CO₂e

Capsules (packaging and waste): ~120–250 g CO₂e

Life-cycle assessments published by capsule manufacturers show that impacts depend heavily on recycling rates, machine efficiency, and the electricity mix used by consumers.

  • Where can we really save CO₂?

Highest leverage actions:

Origin: deforestation-free + better fertilizer/yield systems

Transport: avoid air freight

Consumer: reduce energy waste (standby), use efficient brewing

Packaging: bulk beans/ground coffee; recycle capsules properly

Same beverage. Different impact.

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Typhoon Kalmaegi Hits Vietnam, Disrupting the Global Coffee Market

Posted on by Qahwa World

Dubai – Qahwa World

The global coffee industry faces a new challenge as tropical typhoon Kalmaegi struck the Philippine archipelago earlier this week and is now moving toward Vietnam, threatening one of the world’s most important coffee-producing regions. According to a report by Bloomberg, the storm could disrupt global coffee supply chains and trigger potential price increases in the coming weeks.

Nguyen Ngoc Khai, a meteorologist at the Dak Lak Weather Center—the heart of Vietnam’s coffee-growing region—warned that “strong winds may uproot coffee trees, while heavy rains could knock the cherries off the branches before they ripen.” He added that the scale of the damage could widen if the severe weather persists.

Darren Stetzel, Senior Vice President for Agricultural Affairs in Asia at New York–based StoneX, noted that “even minor production disruptions can raise market concerns about supply stability and push coffee futures prices higher.” He also cautioned that “intense rainfall poses a threat not only to plantations but also to the quality of coffee beans harvested during the 2025/2026 season.”

Vietnam, the world’s second-largest coffee exporter after Brazil, has already achieved its full-year export target in the first half of 2025, reaching USD 5.5 billion in coffee exports, according to the Ministry of Agriculture.

The National Center for Meteorological Forecasting reported that Kalmaegi is the 13th typhoon to enter the South China Sea this year and is expected to bring heavy rainfall across Vietnam’s central regions. In the Philippines, where the storm previously made landfall, more than 140 people have died and over 400,000 residents were evacuated.

Experts warn that this natural disaster could further strain coffee shipments to global markets—including Russia and Europe—at a time when global coffee prices remain volatile amid ongoing climate and logistical challenges.

Weather Extremes Drive Coffee Prices to New Highs

Posted on by Qahwa World

Dubai – Qahwa World

Coffee prices strengthened midweek as extreme weather patterns across major growing regions continued to fuel fears of reduced global supply. Arabica futures for December delivery climbed more than 2%, reaching their highest level in a week and a half, while January Robusta futures also recorded modest gains.

In Brazil — the world’s leading Arabica producer — unusually dry conditions have persisted in Minas Gerais, where rainfall reached only three-quarters of the seasonal average by the end of October. The prolonged dryness follows an even drier previous week and has raised concerns over the next crop’s development. Meanwhile, in Southeast Asia, Typhoon Kalmaegi is expected to make landfall in southern Vietnam, threatening coffee plantations in key Robusta-growing provinces.

Inventories monitored by the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) continued to shrink, adding upward pressure on prices. Arabica reserves dropped to their lowest point in over a year and a half, while Robusta stocks also declined. The drawdown follows reduced U.S. imports from Brazil, where a 50% tariff has sharply slowed trade. Since Brazil supplies nearly one-third of the unroasted coffee used in the U.S., buyers are now facing tighter availability. However, recent remarks by Presidents Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Donald Trump hint at possible progress toward resolving trade tensions, which could influence upcoming market movements.

The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recently increased the probability of a La Niña event to 71% for the final quarter of 2025. Such conditions often bring hotter and drier weather to Brazil, potentially impacting the 2026/27 harvest if the pattern strengthens.

At the same time, Vietnam — the world’s largest Robusta exporter — continues to expand its output. Official data shows exports rising by more than 10% year-on-year in the first nine months of 2025. The Vietnam Coffee and Cocoa Association expects production for 2025/26 to reach a four-year high if favorable weather persists.

Global trade figures also suggest sufficient overall supply. The International Coffee Organization (ICO) recently reported a slight annual increase in coffee exports, while Brazil’s crop agency, Conab, revised its 2025 Arabica estimate downward due to dry weather.

According to projections from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, world coffee production for 2025/26 could hit a record level of nearly 179 million bags, driven mainly by higher Robusta yields. Arabica output, however, is expected to dip slightly. Ending stocks are projected to rise by almost 5%, suggesting that despite short-term volatility, the market remains well supplied — though increasingly sensitive to shifting weather patterns.