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N E W S I T E M

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

N E W S I T E M

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