COFFEE CARBON FOOTPRINT: How to drink more sustainable ?
You may read that coffee emits 2 kg CO₂e/kg… or 28+ kg CO₂e/kg Per cup, estimates range from ~50 g to >250 g CO₂e So what’s true? All of them — depending on what is measured
1) System boundaries (what’s included?)
Most differences come from the Life Cycle Assessment scope:
• Farm gate only (production + primary processing)
• Roasted coffee delivered (adds transport + roasting + packaging)
• Cup footprint (adds brewing energy + waste)
This explains why Our World in Data (OWID) gives higher “full supply chain” values for coffee compared to many other foods: it uses a broad scope dataset (Poore & Nemecek type database)
2) Origin dominates (often 40–80% of total impact)
At farm level, emissions mainly come from:
• Nitrogen fertilizers → N₂O emissions (high climate potency)
• Land use change / deforestation
• Low yields (more land + inputs per kg)
• Energy for wet processing / drying
A @cirad.fr synthesis shows enormous variability: coffee can range from very low to very high depending on agronomy and region
Biggest carbon saving lever = origin practices (agroforestry, soil management, fertilizer optimization, preventing deforestation)
3) Brewing method changes considerably the footprint per cup:
Because the consumer phase adds energy and packaging, the same 10 g dose can give different results:
• Instant (small dose, no machine): ~50–80 g CO₂e/cup
• Filter / Moka (simple heat): ~80–170 g CO₂e/cup
• Espresso machine (electricity + standby losses): ~110–220 g CO₂e/cup
• Capsules (packaging + waste): ~120–250 g CO₂e/cup
@nespresso publishes LCAs showing capsules are highly dependent on recycling rate + machine efficiency + consumer electricity mix
Where can we really save CO₂?
Highest leverage actions:
1. Origin: deforestation-free + better fertilizer/yield systems
2. Transport: avoid air freight
3. Consumer: reduce energy waste (standby), use efficient brewing
4. Packaging: bulk beans/ground coffee; recycle capsules properly
Same beverage. Different impact
#Coffee #SustainableCoffee #ClimateAction #LowCarbonLifestyle #CoffeeLovers EcoChoices