Climate change deniers, you may not enjoy this post…
Ok… now it’s just us. With ocean temperatures and sea levels rising, weather patterns shifting, and a depleting ozone, there’s no doubt that our climate is changing rapidly. While it’s a big topic in the news, we often don’t look at its effects on smaller industries… like… let’s say… coffee.
While coffee producers are already feeling the effects directly, the greater issue will soon spread throughout the industry as a whole and may eventually leave consumers unable to affordably continue their daily ritual.
Cultivating coffee requires very specific environmental conditions including a limited temperature range and high rainfall. With rising temperatures and intensified weather patterns, climate change is upsetting the fragile environments where coffee is grown. Some experts estimate that areas suitable for growing coffee will reduce by 50% come 2050.
Although the majority of the burden in addressing climate change rests on producers to maintain their crop, they often have limited resource to adopt what has been described as Climate Smart Agriculture. Purchasing carbon credits and reducing carbon emissions is necessary for maintaining coffee production (if not long term survival overall). However, from importers to retailers, members of the industry must also support farmers through research and education.
Research enables us to determine which types of coffee plants are hardy enough to withstand some of the results of climate change. It would also be a huge help to farmers, allowing them forecast and adapt to what’s happening in their specific regions.
While it may be possible to offset the effects of climate change (at least for a limited period of time) we’ll continue to need innovative new methods to confront long term challenges.
2 comments
First of all, the ozone issue isn’t based on climate change. It was chlorofourocarbons. And it’s actually getting better. So, before we start branding people as “deniers”, perhaps we should make sure we’re presenting facts, and not incorrect propaganda or misconceptions. https://www.google.com/amp/relay.nationalgeographic.com/proxy/distribution/public/amp/2016/06/antarctic-ozone-hole-healing-fingerprints#ampshare=http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/06/antarctic-ozone-hole-healing-fingerprints/
Now, onto matters of global climate change:is it really changing that quickly. Studies show the world wide variation is minute. So, is it global? Is it anthropogenic(man-made)? Or are global variations due to natural fluctuations based on planetary and solar interactions? And perhaps changes in specific regions are, in fact, regional? Maybe some of the worst polluters, like China, India, and Mexico are the culprits. Maybe problems in places like Brazil are due to rain forest deforestation, and not climate change? Rather than the U.S. getting involved in agreements that basically expect us to fund everything, that likely will produce no results, while giving a pass to the worst offenders for more than a decade; perhaps we should work with some of those countries diplomatically, to encourage them to adopt more environmentally friendly practices. It might just be that we could share some technology with them. Maybe start some forestry management programs in Brazil? I would much rather see real solutions implemented where needed, rather than push some Globalist agenda that will suck resources off of our country, without any concrete plans or hopes for measurable results. I hope I can still get a La Colombe Cortado, made with Brazilian coffee, in 2050. Lord willing, and if the crick don’t rise.
We have heard the wonderful scientists at the Academy of Natural Sciences explain it very well.
And, I think, the second movie from Al Gore will be out any day.
(Also, one of the movies running now at ANS mentions Corsica, France, so, we thought of LC & yes, we will stop shakin’ our draft lattes, but, in the words of the brilliant Ricky Martin, “Shake your bon, bon.” ? )