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T H E A M A Z O N R A I N F O R E S T F I R E S
A N D T H E I M P A C T O F
C L I M A T E C H A N G E O N C O F F E E
T H E F I R E S I N T H E A M A Z O N R A I N F O R E S T
held the world’s attention in August and September of 2019—
and with good reason. Though the 2019 fire season was not
Brazil’s worst in history, it was indeed the worst in recent
memory. According to the Brazilian National Institute for Space
Research (INPE), satellite data showed an 84 percent increase in
fires compared with the same period in 2018. The space agency
reported its satellite data had detected more than 72,000 fires
since January 2019.
The fires were caused in part by farmers clearing land to
expand agriculture. Natural fires in the Amazon are rare due to
the tropical, humid climate of the region (although they are indeed
increasing as a consequence of climate change). Deforestation
in the Brazilian Amazon is the result of many different actions
including agricultural expansion, but also illegal logging, mining,
land speculation, urban development and more. Because of
complex factors such as international trade, financing and policy
By Mariana Barbosa
decisions by the new government that have crippled environmental
enforcement agencies, deforestation in the region surged in 2019.
The Amazon is the largest, most biodiverse forest in the world
and is indisputably one of the world’s greatest natural climate
solutions, as well as a critical source of fresh water. It is also vital
to global rainfall patterns.
Protecting the Amazon ensures it can continue to provide
these essential functions, both for the coffee industry and for all
Brazilians.
As of press time, many of the fires are under control. The
arrival of the rainy season, plus efforts from the Brazilian
military, have contained some fires. But the factors that
enabled such widespread fires in the first place—decreased
enforcement of forest law, illegal deforestation for agriculture
and invasion of indigenous territories—remain in place. It
is good news that there are fewer fires in the Amazon right
now, but this is a short-term respite from the larger problem.
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It is unacceptable to allow the cycle of deforestation and burning
to continue.
The effects of the fires extended beyond the confines of the
Amazon basin, reaching into the southeastern states of Brazil,
home to the country’s major coffee-producing regions. Brazil is
the world’s largest producer and exporter of coffee, accounting for
about a third of the world’s supply. In recent years, below-average
rainfalls and brutal droughts have plagued some its largest coffee-
producing states, including Minas Gerais and São Paolo.
“Fortunately, the coffee-producing areas were not directly
affected by the fires,” says Vanusia Nogueira, executive director
of the Brazil Specialty Coffee Association (BSCA). “However, the
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A B O V E View of a fire in the Amazon rainforest,
which was caused by illegal burning with the objective
of deforestation for cattle production, near the city of
Porto Velho, in the state of Rondônia.
Victor Moriyama / Greenpeace
P R E C E D I N G PA G E Aerial image of burning in
Altamira, state of Pará, Brazil.
Victor Moriyama / Greenpeace
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general image of Brazil [in regard to] sustainability has been
affected, and we are making a very strong effort to show to the
world that we are doing our ‘homework’ as coffee producers.”
On top of increasingly erratic weather patterns caused by
climate change, smallholder coffee farmers already face many
challenges, including poverty and commodity price fluctuations.
While the full impact of the fires has yet to be determined for
coffee farmers and the next cycle of crop yields, destroying swaths
of the world’s largest tropical rainforest will lead to further land
degradation and desertification, likely intensifying dry spells, and
thus eventually affecting the quality and quantity of each cup of
coffee.
“There are a lot of researchers looking for varieties more
resistant to high temperatures,” Nogueira says. “Research related
to the rational use of water for irrigation is underway, but we are
still facing a challenge with the rains and thunderstorms. It’s
not possible yet to control the excess of water—as we had last
summer—or very strong thunderstorms, which we just had [in
October 2019].”
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LEFT Coffee worker in Brazil.
David Dudenhoefer
BOTTOM Aerial view of a large burned area in the city of
Candeias do Jamari, in the state of Rondônia.
Victor Moriyama / Greenpeace
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N E W S I T E M
To address the recent fires, front-line organizations across
South America worked tirelessly to develop and execute an
immediate and coordinated response to extinguish the flames.
Now in the aftermath, we need to tackle the disaster at its very
core: Sustainable farming and land management must become
the norm while reducing illegal deforestation and the clearing of
land for agriculture.
We must balance environmental conservation with
agricultural production and business needs. For the coffee
community, this kind of thinking is old news—many producers
are dedicated to sustainability and understand the connections
between deforestation, economic development, climate change,
smallholder farmers, and quality and quantity of beans. The coffee
industry gets it, and the work to reinforce the entire coffee supply
chain, from producer to end consumer, is well underway.
However, a patchwork approach to land conservation can
only do so much good. We also need to enhance the climate
resilience of other farmers, who are also feeling the effects of a
changing climate. The Rainforest Alliance, in partnership with
coffee companies, roasters, importers, producer groups and local
governments, works to strengthen the resilience of farmers—
coffee producers and others—through trainings and certification.
These methods boost yields and safeguard the health of the land
for future generations. Importantly, this also goes a long way
toward securing stable coffee supply chains.
“All the BSCA members are UTZ/Rainforest Alliance, organic
or Fairtrade certified,” Nogueira says. “We are emphasizing this
requirement with the outside organizations and governments.
We are also in constant contact and meetings with the Brazilian
government and third-party organizations in order to make
sure all of them realize the consequences of this issue for the
environment, for our business, and for the Brazilian image
worldwide.”
Ultimately, the best way to protect the world’s forests is to
prevent fires before they start. For us at the Rainforest Alliance,
that means understanding farming right from the jump: a greater
uptake of responsible farming methods in conjunction with
forest-friendly policies and informed consumer choices.
MARIANA BARBOSA is the Brazil director for the Rainforest
Alliance. She lives in São Paulo, Brazil.
Coffee field in Brazil. David Dudenhoefer