Higher temperatures, drought, intense rainfall, more resilient pests and plant disease, all associated with global warming, are — right now — driving down premium coffee yields and increasing coffee prices world-wide.
Costa Rican coffee production has plunged by 44 percent since 2000 because of rising temperatures and correlated coffee borer beetle infestations. Ethiopia and India’s Karnataka’s region have experienced similar losses.
Of course, coffee farmers in those countries will feel the impact of those losses most acutely, but you can bet that increased coffee scarcity will spike prices and limit your choices of daily wake-me-up drinks.
Global warming’s consequences are here and now; they are finding their way into our everyday lives. Fortunately, we can do something about it. The Obama administration is working to finalize the first-ever federal limits on carbon pollution from power plants. The EPA should finalize this rule to reduce global warming pollution and speed our transition to clean, renewable energy sources.
Source: suntimes.com/opinions/letters/15413160-474/global-warming-raising-price-of-coffee.html
