As the distant rumble of "Global Warming" and "Climate Change" gets louder and more insistent by the day, just when might these turn into a storm in your coffee cup?No, this article isn't a diatribe against the coffee industry and how it contributes to carbon emissions. There's far too much at stake for the community to dwell upon the sins of omission or commission that some external agencies might carp about.

As the distant rumble of "Global Warming" and "Climate Change" gets louder and more insistent by the day, just when might these turn into a storm in your coffee cup?

No, this article isn't a diatribe against the coffee industry and how it contributes to carbon emissions. There's far too much at stake for the community to dwell upon the sins of omission or commission that some external agencies might carp about. There are some 25 million jobs and livelihoods around the world dependent in one way or another on coffee; and there are businesses that contribute to local and national economies, not to mention the satisfaction that consumers derive from this beverage. All the more reason then, not to put our heads in the sand and ignore the issues, which are very real indeed - "An Inconvenient Truth", to borrow former US Vice President Al Gore's documentary film title.

The truth is simply this: as an agricultural product, coffee is extremely vulnerable to climate change. All the tropical coffee-growing regions in Asia are dependent on the monsoon and rainfall for the coffee harvest - heat waves, dry monsoon or drought could wreak havoc, leading to production losses and increased pest attacks. The impact could be felt far beyond the growing regions - at the retail end as well. That said, let's take an impressionistic look at some positive angles of coffee production and consumption in relation to climate issues.

Geography & ecology

In most regions around the world, coffee is grown in the highlands. In India, over a span of nearly 200 years, coffee plantations have integrated seamlessly into the environment of the Western Ghats, to the extent that any change in land-use could have serious consequences in an area that is considered one of the world's hot-spots in terms of bio-diversity. More recently, the Coffee Board of India has promoted cultivation in the North East states and in the tribal belts in Andhra Pradesh where "jhum" or shifting cultivation involving slash and burn, a practice from ancient times, tended to lay the land waste. Sustainable coffee cultivation has given reason for tribals to stay put and earn an income, obviating a nomadic existence.

Highland regions also have the appropriate terrain for small hydro project schemes - the run-of-water type - that could yield renewable energy, and some such projects are already operating in the Western Ghats. Many estate owners are actually unaware of the treasures located on their properties! It's time for planters to explore all the natural resources within their boundaries, including wind and solar power - chances are development agencies or venture capitalists would be willing to support schemes to tap these resources. Ultimately, the property value of the estates would increase, besides savings on electricity. It is widely acknowledged that the single biggest threat to the planet comes from the production and consumption of energy generated through large power plants using fossil fuels, leading to greenhouse gas emissions. Any alternatives are welcome.

Shade-grown coffee

Shade cover is the most environment-positive aspect of coffee. A shade tree prevents sun-scorch and reduces stress on the coffee plants; increases the mulch in the soil thereby conserving water; enhances absorption of rain water into the soil by acting as a sponge thereby augmenting the ground water table and revival of water bodies in the area.

Two-to-three tier shade canopy is the norm on Indian coffee plantations. The first tier usually consists of endemic and natural forest trees. The second tier could consist of medium sized trees usually a side crop like jackfruit, orange, soapnut and other fruit trees, besides silver oak, which could be encashed for timber. Then there is the third tier of Dadaps - Erythrina Lithosperma and Gleedicedia. The density of greenery in a coffee plantation far surpasses that of the forests nearby! The more coffee that is cultivated, especially in non-traditional areas, increases the forest cover naturally. Recent studies have actually proven that certain rare endemic species of birds, insects and animals have made coffee plantations their own habitat and are not even found in the adjoining forest.

Such greenery amounts to carbon "sinks" for carbon sequestration, and coffee plantations are highly eligible for claim of carbon credits towards abatement of greenhouse gases.

Clean technologies

Coffee effluents are a natural byproduct of coffee pulping. While not chemical, or poisonous, the short- term effects of discharge into water bodies can be harmful because of the high Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD). This can be brought down by suitable treatment. Long-term effects are actually beneficial, as greater organic content in the water provides food for aquatic life.

At Ginimao Estate in Chikmagalur in Karnataka state of India, coffee planter Steven Rebello and scientists from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore have implemented an effluent treatment project, which treats organic wastes while generating biogas as a by-product. The gas is used as a fuel to power the pulping machinery, and for cooking and lighting, thereby reducing dependence on fossil fuels, cutting fuel costs, and enhancing self-reliance by getting off the grid. The plant is used all the year round by feeding it with organic waste, easily available on the plantation. The residual biomass is used as an organic fertilizer. "The plant is highly efficient and cost-effective in treating effluents, and the level of BOD reduction is a league ahead of other treatment methods, says Rebello.

Green machines

Machinery manufacturers are upbeat about innovations that lead to more efficient, more environment-friendly systems. The Eltex Group based in Coimbatore in South India has introduced new coffee pulping machines that save on water. Probat, at Emmerich, Germany has introduced several new roasters that meet and exceed emission standards - European norms being perhaps the most stringent.

"Due to the rising energy costs, the industry now asks for savings in energy consumption," says Robert Dous, general director sales and marketing at Probat. "Technical solutions to reduce the required amount of energy for roasting; emission treatment involving recirculation of exhaust gases, green coffee preheating and the Proforte, a flameless, regenerative, thermal exhaust combustion technology have been developed by Probat."

Starbucks commitment

The Starbucks 2006 Corporate Social Responsibility Report takes up the issue of climate change is forthright detail. The company has established a three-year climate change mitigation strategy that focuses on purchase of renewable energy, energy conservation and advocacy for collaborative action. The selected areas emerged from analyses of the company's greenhouse gas footprint and the points of greatest leverage within their operations. The assessment revealed that 81% of 2003 baseline greenhouse gas emissions came from purchase of electricity, hence the strategies identified. Other areas of mitigation include green store design, paper purchase and sustainable packaging, waste and recycling and water use and conservation. Starbucks has implemented a project in US and Canada in 2006 to use new hot cups with 10% post-consumer recycled fiber that has received a favourable safety review by the US FDA. As always, Starbucks leads the way in clarifying issues, defining a corporate response and engaging consumers -

Planet Green Game in collaboration with Global Green USA (www.planetgreengame.com) is the latest such initiative.

Consumer choices

The recent trend towards home roasting in the US may actually help reduce waste with less packaging that lands up in landfills! Multi-layer packages that preserve freshness and aroma with long shelf life are often difficult to recycle. Bio-degradability apart, the fact remains that more single serve units, pods, paper filters, capsules, whatever, lead to that much more waste.

Perhaps the small roaster in the neighbourhood who supplies fresh roast and ground coffee in a paper packet and the consumer who uses reusable glass jars for storage are on the right track, as also those who use non-electrical brewers such as the French press. Individual choices perhaps, but in this new clean air era, the commercial espresso machine in the kitchen (and sometimes the living area) may not be quite the status symbol it once was in the US.

Consumers choosing 'organic' make a statement about their lifestyle, and also inadvertently support the cause of energy conservation! Organic compost is created on-farm in a natural manner, substituting chemical fertilizers, manufactured in plants that use a huge amount of grid electricity, and require to be transported to farms.

Clean is quality

In recent years, organic cultivation, food safety & hygiene and fair trade issues have dominated discussions at various forums related to coffee. Now, climate change, a particular prism of sustainability, is actively on the agenda, with intense public interest in the potential global impact. Expect all eyes to be on Asia, particularly China and India, with not-so-gentle nudges to step up to the table and pay respective dues for carbon emissions.

The question is, will coffee producers in future be asked to prove their "green and clean" credentials, and will they be compensated for the extra effort they may have to take to provide certifications? Does extra-clean coffee have a price that is higher than coffee produced by less sustainable means? Should quality norms, grading and pricing be recalibrated to factor in sustainable methods?

Another inconvenient truth is that buyers and consumers are generally notorious for driving bargains to the extent that small coffee growers have little incentive to measure up to the ever-increasing list of standards. With RFID and other tracing technologies gaining momentum, it should be possible to determine which producers are more green than others, and deserve a premium for their coffee. Let's separate and reward the good guys - that's the only way to save the planet.