Abstract

SEGURA, MILENA A  and  ANDRADE, HERNÁN J. CARBON FOOTPRINTS IN THE COFFEE (Coffea arabica L.) PRODUCTIVE CHAINS WITH DIFFERENT CERTIFICATION STANDARDS IN COSTA RICA. Luna Azul [online]. 2012, n.35, pp.60-77. ISSN 1909-2474.

The impact in coffee production with different certification standards (conventional production, organic production -NOP and European Union-, UTZ Kapeh, Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance and CAFE Practices) on Carbon Footprint in Costa Rica was studied. The greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) were estimated in nine farms and eight grain processing industries. Carbon fixation was estimated in total biomass in both shade trees and coffee bushes by measuring the plants, using biomass models and biomass expansion factors, a 0.5 fraction of carbon and asking producers about the age of the components in the system. IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) recommended emission factors were used. The production systems fixed between 5,0 and 17,6 t CO₂e/ha/year, without an effect of the certification standards. The activity emitting more GHG was nitrogenated fertilization (63-82% of total emissions). The two grain processing industries with less GEE emissions (156 and 187 CO₂e/t green coffee) are those using solar energy for partial coffee drying. The coffee production chain in Costa Rica showed to be friendly with the environment while fixing a net between 2.4 and 13.0 kg CO₂e/kg of green coffee grain (7.6 kg CO₂e/kg of green coffee average and 8.1 t CO₂e/ha/year). Impact on the certification standards was not found but it was found in the system components of the carbon footprint in the coffee production chain.

Keywords : Biomass; fossil fuel; nitrogenated fertilization; mitigation; processing.

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