• Climate Change

Oh No! Climate Change Threatens Global Tea Production

• black tea
• climate change
• Drought
• extreme weather
• farmers
• Flooding
• heat
• Kenya
• tea

According to a new report from Christian Aid, Kenya, which produces half of all black tea consumed by the UK, may lose a quarter of its growing capacity by 2050, and the tea that makes it into drinkers’ cups may taste a lot different than before.  The decline of tea farming has implications for economies worldwide, including Kenya, India, China, and Sri Lanka.

Why This Matters: Tea is the most popular drink other than water globally and the tea industry employs more than 3 million people in Africa alone.

• Climate Change

Scientists Rediscover Climate Resilient Coffee Species

• Arabica and Robusta
• climate change
• climate resilient
• coffee
• coffee beans

Scientists have rediscovered a species of coffee that hasn’t been found in the wild for decades, a species so resilient it could just save the coffee industry from imminent peril. And by some stroke of luck, it might taste even better too!

Why This Matters: The world’s coffee “Bean Belt” is located in regions more vulnerable to the imminent impacts of climate change. Rising temperatures in areas between the Tropics of Capricorn and Cancer in countries worldwide are increasing disease and wiping out insects needed to pollinate coffee plants.

• Climate Change

Germany Supercharges Its Climate Ambition

• Angela Merkel
• climate change
• Germany

by Ashira Morris, ODP Staff Writer After the German Constitutional Court ruled that the country’s climate plans weren’t sufficient, the government has announced its new plans:  Cutting carbon emissions 65% by 2030 and 88% by 2040 (based on a 1990 baseline) Aiming for net-zero emissions by 2045, five years earlier than the initial target The […]