{"id":23850,"date":"2017-11-15T16:01:07","date_gmt":"2017-11-15T21:01:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digital.hbs.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/as-temperatures-warm-your-favorite-warm-beverage-is-under-threat\/"},"modified":"2017-11-15T16:01:07","modified_gmt":"2017-11-15T21:01:07","slug":"as-temperatures-warm-your-favorite-warm-beverage-is-under-threat","status":"publish","type":"hck-submission","link":"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/as-temperatures-warm-your-favorite-warm-beverage-is-under-threat\/","title":{"rendered":"As Temperatures Warm, Your Favorite Warm Beverage is Under Threat"},"content":{"rendered":"

While pundits and politicians debate climate change\u2019s existence, companies like Starbucks are taking action. Starbucks is built on high-quality coffee beans from a supply chain of 300,000 growers worldwide. Global warming is a growing threat to this supply chain\u2014demand is soaring, but coffee\u2019s future as a global product is uncertain [1].\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Starbucks relies on dependable access to coffee beans and even small global temperature increases impact these crops. The most extreme climate change models show profound, permanent changes to coffee yield and quality [3]. Research indicates that key Arabica bean regions may see suitable land reduced by 48-70% by 2050 [4].<\/p>\n

Coffee tree ecosystems are sensitive balances of sun, water, and species. Rising temperatures mean increased pests, invasive fungi, and crop illnesses [5]. In some coffee regions, farmers can move to higher elevations to escape these conditions, but moves require massive coordination and funding. Other regions simply have no higher-altitude options (ibid).<\/p>\n

Our understanding of climate change\u2019s impact is evolving. For example, recent research found that global warming\u2019s decimation of bees will also impact coffee\u2014bee species extinction will make it harder for coffee trees to receive necessary pollination [6].<\/p>\n

\u00a0Starbucks\u2019 Commitment to Sustainability Heats Up<\/strong><\/p>\n

Starbucks has long championed sustainability and implemented a company-wide climate change strategy in 2004 [7]. The organization uses short-term and longer-term tactics to protect supply chains as they ramp up climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts worldwide.<\/p>\n

Starbucks adjusted their operational practices\u2014from coffee transportation to the materials used in its stores\u2014to reduce their emissions footprint. These efforts have had mixed impact (energy use from heated food has outpaced reduction efforts), but company remains committed [8]. For 2017\u2019s National Coffee Day, Starbucks broke with their free coffee tradition. Instead, customers saw store menus illustrating climate change\u2019s impact on coffee and how Starbucks helps farmers weather changes [9].<\/p>\n

Globally, Starbucks is strengthening their supply chain over the long term by focusing on growers. Nine Farmer Support Centers across key regions work with farmers to improve crop yields [10]. These supports are free and designed by in-house agronomists (ibid). This year, Starbucks committed to giving farmers 100 million disease-resistant coffee tree seedlings by 2025 [11].<\/p>\n

Innovation Must Continue<\/strong><\/p>\n

As growers search for new land, there is a risk that resulting deforestation may worsen global warming [12]. Starbucks can use grower relationships to prevent deforestation. Now is also the time to build partnerships with agriculture departments in growing regions and play an even more active role in preserving coffee output.<\/p>\n

Science presents exciting, longer-term opportunities. The recent sequencing of the Arabica coffee bean genome opens the door for new plant varieties [13]. Engineering plants that are disease resistant and<\/em> drought resistant plants would strengthen supply chain security.<\/p>\n

Alternatively, the future may lay in new supply chains. As climate change models evolve, new coffee growing regions may emerge. Starbucks must stay deeply informed and be prepared to shift resources as needed.<\/p>\n

It Won\u2019t Be Easy<\/strong><\/p>\n

How does a brand change the world:<\/strong> Is there an opportunity to put lobbying dollars behind climate initiatives and candidates? Can and should Starbucks aggressively engage with customers\u2014especially in areas that have traditionally been skeptical of climate change science?<\/p>\n

From bean to beyond:<\/strong> Is there the potential for a viable, high-quality synthetic coffee alternative? Would coffee aficionados ever accept alternatives?<\/p>\n

(800 Words)<\/p>\n

Sources<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

[1] Timothy Killeen and Grady Harper, \u201cCoffee in the 21st Century: Will Climate Change and Increased Demand Lead to New Deforestation?\u201d April 2016. Conservation International<\/em>. Accessed November 10, 2016.<\/p>\n

[2] BBC World News, \u201cCoffee Under Threat\u201d. Accessed November 12th<\/sup>, 2017\u00a0 http:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/resources\/idt-fa38cb91-bdc0-4229-8cae-1d5c3b447337 . Image data sources: International Coffee Organisation, Christian Bunn (Climatic Change Journal)<\/p>\n

[3] Puneet Kollipara, \u201cClimate change could slash coffee production\u201d. December 17, 2014. Science Magazine<\/em>. Accessed November 9, 2017. http:\/\/www.sciencemag.org\/news\/2014\/12\/climate-change-could-slash-coffee-production<\/a><\/p>\n

[4] BBC World News, \u201cCoffee Under Threat\u201d. Accessed November 12th, 2017\u00a0 http:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/resources\/idt-fa38cb91-bdc0-4229-8cae-1d5c3b447337<\/p>\n

[5] Union of Concerned Scientists \u201cCoffee and Climate: What\u2019s Brewing with Climate Change?\u201d. Accessed November 9, 2017. http:\/\/www.ucsusa.org\/global_warming\/science_and_impacts\/impacts\/impacts-of-climate-on-coffee.html#.Wgu_x2hSw2x<\/a><\/p>\n

[6] Pablo Imbach, Emily Fung, Lee Hannah, Carlos E. Navarro-Racines, David W. Roubik, Taylor H. Ricketts, Celia A. Harvey, Camila I. Donatti, Peter L\u00e4derach, Bruno Locatelli, and Patrick R. Roehrdanz. Coupling of pollination services and coffee suitability under climate change. PNAS 2017 114 (39) 10438-10442; published ahead of print September 11, 2017, doi:10.1073\/pnas.1617940114<\/p>\n

[7] Starbucks Social Responsibility, \u201cClimate Change\u201d. Accessed November 12, 2017.\u00a0 https:\/\/www.starbucks.com\/responsibility\/environment\/climate-change<\/a><\/p>\n

[8] Starbucks Social Responsibility, \u201cClimate Change\u201d. Accessed November 12, 2017.\u00a0 https:\/\/www.starbucks.com\/responsibility\/environment\/climate-change<\/a><\/p>\n

[9] Starbucks Newsroom \u201cWhy your Starbucks looks different this National Coffee Day\u201d, September 28, 2017. Accessed November 10, 2017. https:\/\/news.starbucks.com\/news\/national-coffee-day-2017<\/a><\/p>\n

[10] Starbucks Newsroom, \u201cOn the ground support for Farming Communities\u201d. Accessed November 10, 2016. https:\/\/www.starbucks.com\/responsibility\/community\/farmer-support\/farmer-support-centers<\/a><\/p>\n

[11] Starbucks Newsroom \u201cStarbucks to Provide 100 Million Healthy Coffee Trees by 2025\u201d, April 17, 2017. Accessed November 9, 2017. https:\/\/news.starbucks.com\/press-releases\/starbucks-100million-coffee-trees<\/a><\/p>\n

[12] Lulu Garcia Navarro, \u201cCoffee And Climate Change: In Brazil, A Disaster Is Brewing\u201d, October 12. 2016. NPR<\/em>. Accessed November 12, 2017. https:\/\/www.npr.org\/sections\/thesalt\/2016\/10\/12\/497578413\/coffee-and-climate-change-in-brazil-a-disaster-is-brewing<\/p>\n

[13] Pat Bailey, \u201cArabica Coffee Genome Sequenced\u201d. January 13, 2017. UC Davis News<\/em>. Accessed November 15, 2017. https:\/\/www.ucdavis.edu\/news\/arabica-coffee-genome-sequenced\/<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Coffee supply chains are already feeling the impact of climate change<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9542,"featured_media":23873,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","categories":[3629,614,612],"class_list":["post-23850","hck-submission","type-hck-submission","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-climate-change-and-supply-chains","category-coffee","category-starbucks","hck-taxonomy-organization-starbucks","hck-taxonomy-industry-food-and-beverage"],"connected_submission_link":"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/assignment\/rc-tom-challenge-2017\/","yoast_head":"\nAs Temperatures Warm, Your Favorite Warm Beverage is Under Threat - Technology and Operations Management<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/as-temperatures-warm-your-favorite-warm-beverage-is-under-threat\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"As Temperatures Warm, Your Favorite Warm Beverage is Under Threat - Technology and Operations Management\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Coffee supply chains are already feeling the impact of climate change\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/as-temperatures-warm-your-favorite-warm-beverage-is-under-threat\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Technology and Operations Management\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2017\/11\/Trees.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"604\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"327\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/d3.harvard.edu\\\/platform-rctom\\\/submission\\\/as-temperatures-warm-your-favorite-warm-beverage-is-under-threat\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/d3.harvard.edu\\\/platform-rctom\\\/submission\\\/as-temperatures-warm-your-favorite-warm-beverage-is-under-threat\\\/\",\"name\":\"As Temperatures Warm, Your Favorite Warm Beverage is Under Threat - Technology and Operations Management\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/d3.harvard.edu\\\/platform-rctom\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/d3.harvard.edu\\\/platform-rctom\\\/submission\\\/as-temperatures-warm-your-favorite-warm-beverage-is-under-threat\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/d3.harvard.edu\\\/platform-rctom\\\/submission\\\/as-temperatures-warm-your-favorite-warm-beverage-is-under-threat\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/d3.harvard.edu\\\/platform-rctom\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2017\\\/11\\\/Trees.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2017-11-15T21:01:07+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/d3.harvard.edu\\\/platform-rctom\\\/submission\\\/as-temperatures-warm-your-favorite-warm-beverage-is-under-threat\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/d3.harvard.edu\\\/platform-rctom\\\/submission\\\/as-temperatures-warm-your-favorite-warm-beverage-is-under-threat\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/d3.harvard.edu\\\/platform-rctom\\\/submission\\\/as-temperatures-warm-your-favorite-warm-beverage-is-under-threat\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/d3.harvard.edu\\\/platform-rctom\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2017\\\/11\\\/Trees.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/d3.harvard.edu\\\/platform-rctom\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/4\\\/2017\\\/11\\\/Trees.jpg\",\"width\":604,\"height\":327,\"caption\":\"Picture of a coffee plantation at the Hacienda Villa Martha in the municipality of La Gloria, department of Risaralda, Colombia, taken on August 12, 2011. 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