Is coffee sustainable or climate-damaging?

Both: coffee cultivation has a relevant ecological footprint through water consumption, transport, and packaging. However, sustainably grown coffee from agroforestry can promote biodiversity and protect soils.

Why this is so

Coffee is the most traded raw commodity in the world after oil. Around 10 billion kilograms are produced annually — which has consequences for the climate and the environment.

The ecological footprint:

• Water consumption: On average, 140 liters of water are consumed for one cup of coffee (including cultivation, processing, and preparation). By comparison: a cup of tea needs around 30 liters.
• Transport: Coffee travels by container ship from near the equator to Europe — however, the CO₂ share of transport per cup is surprisingly small (approx. 5–10% of the total footprint).
• Biggest lever: The milk in a cappuccino often causes more CO₂ than the coffee itself. Cow’s milk has a significantly higher footprint than oat or soy milk.
• Packaging and capsules: Aluminum and plastic capsules create a multiple in packaging waste per cup compared to whole beans.

Where coffee can be sustainable:

• Shade-grown and agroforestry: Traditional coffee plantations under tree canopies bind CO₂, protect soils from erosion, and provide habitat for birds and insects. Industrial monocultures in full sun, on the other hand, destroy rainforests.
• Direct Trade and fair supply chains: When farmers receive a fair price, they can invest in sustainable methods instead of exploiting land.
• Regional roasting: Locally roasted coffee saves the CO₂ footprint of large industrial roasteries with long supply chains.

The biggest threat — climate change itself:

Coffee cultivation is simultaneously a contributor to and a victim of climate change. Rising temperatures push the growing boundaries upward, favor pests like the coffee berry borer, and will make entire growing regions unusable by 2050. Ethiopia could lose up to 60% of its growing area.

What you can do as a consumer:

1. Buy whole beans instead of capsules
2. Choose specialty coffee from transparent supply chains
3. Use plant milk instead of cow’s milk
4. Compost coffee grounds instead of throwing them away

In practice at Green Wall Coffee

At Sophienstraße 27, we rely on direct trade and know the farms our beans come from. We roast in small batches, offer oat and soy milk, and compost our coffee grounds. This doesn’t solve all the problems of the coffee industry — but it shows that conscious coffee consumption is possible in everyday life.

Drop by Sophienstraße 27 — Mon–Fri 8am–5pm, Sat 10am–5pm.