Climate Migration: A Crisis of Coffee in Guatemala

Before the world closed its borders indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, thousands of Guatemalans were fleeing north, towards the United States. They were not fleeing from war or conflict—but from a land that had turned against them. 

Guatemala is coffee country. Sheer cliffs blanketed in coffee plantations give way to soft, gentle valleys inundated with broad rivers and waterfalls. For years, global climate change has placed increased stress on the residents of the coffee plantations. The weather phenomenon known as El Niño—a cruel cycle of drought and flood that affects the Pacific coast of South America—continues to become more drastic and destructive as the planet warms. Rainfall will decrease in Guatemala by 60 percent. By 2070, the yields of coffee crops may decline by nearly one-third. 

As their land fails them, hundreds of millions of people all across the globe will be forced to make the same excruciating decision that some coffee farmers in Guatemala now make every day: flight, or death. 

Where will they go? 

The failing coffee industry is one of the many push factors for migrants from Guatemala entering the United States. 

Migrants will seek relief in large cities, spurring rapid urbanization and development. In Guatemala, migrants will move north, expanding the number seeking entry to the United States. In 2025, 700,000 migrants will arrive in the United States. By 2050, the projected number of migrants arriving from Central America and Mexico will be 1.5 million. These projections do not account for irregular migrants, who could more than double the number of migrants inundating the United States. 

Every day, farmers in Central and South America, plagued by starvation and debt, choose uncertain life over certain death. 

“If we are going to die anyway,” he said, “we might as well die trying to get to the United States.”

Jorge R.

Jorge Reyes is one of the many coffee farmers looking for a better life. “If we are going to die anyway,” he said, “we might as well die trying to get to the United States.”

Their fate lies in the hands of America’s elected leaders, who choose how to respond to and accept migrants. Even as President Trump’s Zero Tolerance Policy has seen a decline in border crossings, thousands still attempt to enter the country due to economic reasons, conflict, or violence.

What’s that got to do with my cup of coffee? 

Guatemala is synonymous with high-quality beans. Starting in the 1800s, coffee was cultivated across the highlands by indigenous workers. The large plantations were integral to the economic upturn in the country, and by the 1990s Guatemala became the world’s fifth-largest coffee producer.  

Guatemalan coffee can be found in grocery stores and coffee shops all across the United States. Name brands like Volcanica, Java Planet, Fresh Roasted Coffee, and Peet’s Coffee all utilize Guatemalan coffee beans. The sweet, chocolate-based flavor profile of Guatemalan coffee makes it popular among coffee drinkers everywhere. 

While today we enjoy sipping on Guatemalan coffee, climate change will likely wipe out the once-lucrative business. Warming temperatures contribute to coffee rusts. Climate change increases the frequency of droughts and floods. As a result, production is decreased or —in the worst cases— destroyed.  

Making an impact

There are small actions that every individual can take to combat climate change and slow climate migration. Here are several coffee-based actions you can take: 

1. Buy Fair Trade: Fair Trade coffee brands ensure that laborers around the world are treated ethically. Fair Trade brands develop lasting partnerships by employing Fair Trade practices with farmers who grow crops.  Buy Fair Trade, and enjoy your cup of coffee both delicious and world-changing. 
2. Buy Sustainable: Purchase coffee from companies that are working to offset carbon emissions and build a better planet, like Counter Culture Coffee.  
3. Don’t Buy K-Cups: K-Cups are terrible for the environment. So much so that the owner regrets inventing them. They can’t be recycled, and are more expensive than regular coffee beans. 

Above all, remember that migrants are people, just like you and me, and deserve a second chance in the United States.