Coffee Industry Launches Rule to Reduce Carbon Footprint

BRUSSELSA new Green Coffee CFP-PCR has been published, which provides the first Product Category Rule for the calculation of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions from green coffee production. The new rule was initiated by SAI Platform's Coffee Working group members, in collaboration with the Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH).

Over an 18-month period, a wide range of stakeholders with interests in the sustainability of the coffee sector worldwide came together to create a methodology that is globally applicable. The new Green Coffee CFP-PCR will drive consistency in the application of GHG emissions calculations by reducing differences between individual studies and products, and harmonizing methodological approaches. This will support the identification and adoption of genuine mitigation strategies. It should also encourage behavior change within the supply chain and the CFP-PCR should provide necessary detail to empower informed (mitigation) decision-making, and even reward positive practice.

"The guidelines for measuring the GHG emissions for green coffee are a great achievement for the coffee sector and as such ought to be adopted by everybody. These guidelines are the result of a global and transparent collaboration among numerous stakeholders of the coffee value chain," said Giacomo Celi, illycaffé, chair of the SAI Platform Coffee Working Group.

A Technical Working Group comprising of science and industry specialists from around the world who have experience in Life Cycle Assessment and coffee agronomy, production systems, markets, consultancy, tool building and certification has ensured this CFP-PCR is not only scientifically robust, but can be delivered in the field with minimal barriers. An example of this is the establishment of allocation ratios for polyculture systems, where the group went beyond traditional PCR development requirements.