We're At Risk Of Losing Coffee To Global Warming...
Waking up with a warm cup, finishing your meal with a little espresso, or treating yourself to an afternoon cappuccino.
Drinking coffee is a worldwide habit and even a necessity for many. It's difficult to imagine a place without the hot drink but according to Australia's Climate Institute global warming could lead to coffee's extinction.
Global warming already has quite an impact on coffee, as recalls the Guardian. In Tanzania – where 2.4 million people make their living from the coffee industry – every time temperatures went up one degree, production lost 137kg. In 2012, Central America was hit with the coffee rust disease. Guatemala lost 85% of its crops and 350,000 were left unemployed.
Coffee isn't just an essential treat for us. It's the job of 120 million people across 70 countries. People that live in precarious living conditions with very difficult working conditions and that can find themselves without an income overnight.
According to John Connor, Climate Institute director, consumers have a key role to play, especially to be careful which coffee they buy, supporting brands that "offer an income to farmers and their communities while helping them get accustomed to global warming."
We must buy fair trade products, that have as little impact on the environment as possible. But mainly, we need to do what we can to reduce global warming.
Source
Drinking coffee is a worldwide habit and even a necessity for many. It's difficult to imagine a place without the hot drink but according to Australia's Climate Institute global warming could lead to coffee's extinction.
"Without strong action to reduce emissions, climate change is projected to cut the global area suitable for coffee production by as much as 50% by 2050."In other words, the rise in temperature and extreme weather conditions could very well cause the extinction of the beloved bean by destroying the places it could grow in. Too much rain, or even too dry land can destroy the crops very quickly.
(Photo: Frank Lanigan/Unsplash)
Coffee's extinction could happen very fast – within our lifetime
Nicaragua is expected to lose most of its crops by 2050. And by 2060 for Tanzania. Scientists believe wild coffee will be extinct by 2080. Yet, it's essential to assure genetic diversity in grown coffee.Global warming already has quite an impact on coffee, as recalls the Guardian. In Tanzania – where 2.4 million people make their living from the coffee industry – every time temperatures went up one degree, production lost 137kg. In 2012, Central America was hit with the coffee rust disease. Guatemala lost 85% of its crops and 350,000 were left unemployed.
Coffee isn't just an essential treat for us. It's the job of 120 million people across 70 countries. People that live in precarious living conditions with very difficult working conditions and that can find themselves without an income overnight.
According to John Connor, Climate Institute director, consumers have a key role to play, especially to be careful which coffee they buy, supporting brands that "offer an income to farmers and their communities while helping them get accustomed to global warming."
We must buy fair trade products, that have as little impact on the environment as possible. But mainly, we need to do what we can to reduce global warming.
Source
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