{"id":9245,"date":"2016-11-03T20:39:25","date_gmt":"2016-11-04T00:39:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digital.hbs.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/climate-change-challenges-brewing-for-starbucks\/"},"modified":"2016-11-03T20:44:33","modified_gmt":"2016-11-04T00:44:33","slug":"climate-change-challenges-brewing-for-starbucks","status":"publish","type":"hck-submission","link":"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/climate-change-challenges-brewing-for-starbucks\/","title":{"rendered":"Climate Change Challenges Brewing for Starbucks"},"content":{"rendered":"

A new report from the Climate Institute predicts that climate change will halve the amount of land area suitable for coffee production by 2050 [1]. In parts of Brazil and Central America where the most popular type of coffee, Arabica, is grown, 80% of land will become unusable [2]. The biggest impact will be felt in reducing the livelihoods of crop growers in some of the poorest parts of the world, but even developed countries will take notice as prices increase for major downstream consumers of coffee beans like Starbucks. Some regions are already being affected by climate change, like Tanzania, where 2.4M people rely on coffee and are facing a decline of 50% since the 1960s [1]. Other regions aren’t sounding the alarm just yet\u2014 Brazil celebrated a record-high in coffee production in 2016 after experiencing a particularly rainy year \u2014 but trouble is headed their way, too [3]. <\/span><\/p>\n

Coffee Arabica and Coffee Robusta are the most popular coffee varieties in the world. Arabica, which represents the majority of global production, is most comfortable at temperatures ranging between 18 and 21 degrees celsius. Temperatures outside this range have a negative impact on production yield and quality. Every 1 degree increase in temperature will decrease annual yield by approximately 137 kg per hectare (60% of the average farmer\u2019s current production in Tanzania) [4]. <\/span><\/p>\n

For their part, coffee growers essentially have no choice but to take action. Climatic monitoring equipment to measure each season\u2019s crop could help farmers gauge performance and anticipate trends ahead of time. Farmers have several tools at their disposal to intervene \u2014 irrigation, mulching, shade management, and terracing can all provide benefits. Switching to a more drought resistant species of coffee could also strengthen farmers\u2019 position against climate change [5]. Areas on higher ground or further away from the equator may be better suited for climate change conditions; however, coffee plants take years to reach maturity, so any transition will be difficult and producers may not be sufficiently financially equipped to cope [6].<\/span><\/p>\n

Starbucks sees climate change as a big problem. Their website states, <\/span>\u201cWe see firsthand and hear directly about the impacts of climate change. In addition to increased erosion and infestation by pests and coffee rust, coffee farmers are reporting shifts in rainfall and harvest patterns that are hurting their communities and shrinking the available usable land in coffee regions around the world.\u201d<\/span><\/i>\u00a0Starbucks’ site also outlines the major initiatives they\u2019ve launched to tackle climate-related issues, which include [7]:<\/span><\/p>\n