Largest player in the EU, Germany talks about more sustainable coffee – 01/28/2024 – Café na Prensa

Germany has issued a joint declaration with the International Coffee Organization and the Global Coffee Platform in which it commits to contributing to a sustainable transformation of the coffee sector.

The declaration addresses issues such as decent income for rural producers, market transparency and gender equity, in addition to preaching agriculture that contributes to mitigating the climate crisis.

Although formal, the document signed in Berlin on the 19th is important because Germany is the largest buyer of coffee in the European Union. In a global comparison, it is the second largest, behind only the United States.

In 2023, Brazil exported 5 million bags of coffee to Germany, a value much higher than what it shipped to Italy (3.1 million), the third largest buyer of Brazilian coffee.

The declaration is also part of a global discussion about the European Union Regulation for Deforestation-Free Products (EUDR), which prohibits the import of certain products from areas with deforestation. The law will come into effect in January 2025. Meanwhile, the global coffee market is racing to adapt to the norm.

The declaration, signed by the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, defends environmental sustainability and climate change mitigation through circularity, regenerative production, trade and consumption in the global coffee chain.

Regenerative production, mentioned in the document, is highlighted by the world’s coffee industry as the most promising bet for dealing with climate change.

The expression has become a kind of mantra for large companies trying to vocalize a sustainable discourse. The term has become ubiquitous in ESG (Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance) reports, product labels and executive speeches.

In general, regenerative agriculture is based on practices of conservation and regeneration of soil, water and biodiversity, in order to emit less carbon dioxide than techniques considered traditional.

The document also highlights the need to preserve natural ecosystems in coffee producing countries around the world.

The German ministry’s director general, Ariane Hildebrandt, said the country is committed to supporting the global coffee sector’s advancement “towards a more sustainable, inclusive and resilient future”.

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