Climate Change and the Viet Nam Coffee Sector An Introduction

Climate Change and the Viet Nam Coffee Sector Key Questions: What is climate change? Which impacts has climate change caused? What are the impacts on coffee? What are expected impacts of climate change for Viet Nam? What are the consequences for Vietnamese coffee production?

What is climate change? Definition: Any significant change in measures of climate, such as temperature or precipitation, lasting for an extended period of time, typically decades (official IPCC definition)

Cause of climate change Increased emissions of carbon dioxide, methane, oxides of nitrogen These extra molecules stay in the atmosphere They absorb more heat So the air temperature increases – called the greenhouse effect The increase in temperature also affects rainfall amounts and distribution

What is the Greenhouse Effect?

GHG

Which impacts has climate change caused? Drought USA China Africa

Which impacts has climate change caused? Flooding Thailand (Honda car factory)India

Which impacts has climate change caused? Storm Joplin, Missouri, USA Before tornado After tornado

Which impacts has climate change caused? Increase in global temperature Changes in precipitation patterns More extreme weather events Warming of poles and loss of sea ice = rising sea levels Warming of oceans Melting of glaciers California USA

What are impacts on agriculture? High temperatures – direct stress to plants – soil dries out quicker – some pests and diseases get worse Rainfall – Too much; storm damage, flooding – Too little; drought – Change in distribution; comes at the wrong time

What are impacts on coffee? Increase in temperature: Flower abortion with high maximum temperatures Increases in pest and disease incidents Ripening speeds up, affects weight & quality Soil dries out Change in precipitations patterns / extreme weather events: Irregular rain during the harvest season affects drying Irregular rain affects flowering, fruit set Strong rains cause landslides, soil erosion Strong winds damage trees Drought affects trees and yield

What are perceived impacts of coffee producers? Increase in pests and diseases Water scarcity Extended drought periods Drying of springs and streams Degraded soils / landslides Increase in floods Poor yields Bududa, Uganda, Africa

What are predicted changes for Viet Nam? Average temperatures will increase, maybe by 1 centigrade in next 20 years Increasing changeable weather is likely: – more storms – more droughts Rainfall total – no clear predictions – More rain? – Less rain? – No change?

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