Starbucks' Climate-Resistant Coffee Trees Combat Climate Change Threat

Starbucks is pioneering climate-resistant coffee trees to safeguard the coffee industry's future amidst climate change challenges. Arabica, the most challenging variety, is a focus of this initiative.

Starbucks aims to create and produce these climate-proof trees so that the world can continue to have coffee in the future. The most difficult to grow is the arabica coffee, which is also the most popular variety.

Climate Change Impact on Growing Coffee

As per CNN Business, while Arabica and other types of coffee may be easier to harvest today, things may be a lot different in the future. This is because climate change now poses a huge threat to coffee farmers and the entire coffee business.

The Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) recently warned that the rising temperatures will diminish the suitable zones for growing coffee. The bank said this may happen by 2050, and these areas could be reduced by as much as 50% based on the size of territories being used today.

IADB also noted that while the changing climate may turn some spots into areas where coffee may no longer thrive, there is a possibility that the change in environment may also make some countries, as new places, best for growing coffee. However, for the beans to continue flourishing in areas where they are planted now, it is obvious that things need to change.

"To grow properly, coffee crops require specific temperature, light, and humidity levels," IADB said in its recent report.

Starbucks is Taking Steps to Protect Arabica Coffee

It was also mentioned in the IADB report that the place with the best conditions to grow Arabica and other coffee beans is in certain parts of Latin America. A land here was even named the "coffee belt."

In any case, for the future of its coffee business and protection for farmers, Starbucks said it is developing new types of Arabica that can be specifically cultivated even when the world is getting warmer. The coffee chain shared its own agronomists and has been researching and breeding various coffee trees in the last 10 years, hoping to find a variety that can produce a high amount of fruit in a short time and can resist coffee leaf rust that has been aggravated by climate change.

Meanwhile, The Seattle Times reported that Starbucks was able to develop six new climate-resistant tree varietals that all produce Arabica. "We put our efforts up against the development of climate-resistant trees," Starbucks' executive vice president of global coffee, social impact, and sustainability, Michelle Burns, said. "Very specifically, developing new tree varietals in a way that ensures that they are more resistant to the impact of climate."

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