Coffee producers across the Global South already start from an unlikely advantage: their carbon footprint per kilogram is often a fraction of the global average. However, a closer look at the supply chain shows that this advantage is more fragile than one might expect.
Beyond Fossil Fuels
Green Transformation (GX) is the transition from a fossil-fuel-dependent society to one powered by clean energy, with an overarching goal to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and achieve carbon neutrality. To this end, companies investigate which stage of the supply chain is emitting what kind of GHGs, and identify methods to reduce them. Furthermore, many companies undertake additional initiatives in an effort to offset GHG emissions that are inevitable in the production process.
To visualize the situation, the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is used to measure the environmental impact of a product across its entire life cycle, by quantifying and tracking emissions at each stage of the supply chain. This is expressed through what’s known as a carbon footprint (CFP). CFP refers to the total amount of GHG generated, whether that is directly or indirectly, by an activity, product, or an organization. This is typically expressed in CO2 equivalents. It allows environmental impact to be measured and compared using a single, standardized unit, regardless of which specific gases are involved.
We at Uminomukou Coffee collaborate with Value Way Co., Ltd., who is responsible for carrying out the LCA.
Applying the LCA to coffee reveals a range of GHG that are released into the environment throughout the various stages of production. To start off, the best known GHG, carbon dioxide (CO2), is released for example during the processing of the coffee cherries, or during export. On top of that, if chemical fertilizers are used, this can release a significant amount of nitrous oxide (N2O). Moreover, if the coffee pulp generated during the refining process is left to decay, this can release methane (CH4). Although the quantity of these gases in the air is lower than CO2’s, their warming effect is said to be tens to hundreds of times greater than CO2.
Global South GX Project
In 2025 we launched the Global South GX Project, subsidized by the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) of Japan, to investigate GHG emissions and CFP across coffee supply chains in Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, and Thailand, with the goal of protecting these producers’ hard-won environmental advantage while identifying paths to reduce it further.
The project consists of two phases. Phase 1 is the investigation stage, focused on identifying emission sources at each stage of the supply chain and proposing targeted solutions. We have completed this phase and results are reported below. Phase 2 will then put these proposals into practice through pilot implementations.
What We Found
Phase 1’s investigation revealed that while each partner’s overall footprint was fairly low to begin with, specific emission hotspots emerged at different stages of the supply chain, varying by country and by production method.
Papua New Guinea (Eastern Highlands):
In Papua New Guinea, data revealed that processing accounted for 85% of total emissions, driven primarily by diesel and electricity use, while farm operations and transport made up just 15% and 0.2% respectively. A closer look at crop residue also showed that the majority of related emissions came from seed and green bean waste, with the remainder from pulp and husk. This highlights a major opportunity in how this residue is treated and repurposed. One solution we propose is to introduce a new fuel-efficient processing plant to enable cleaner operations. In addition, expanding the recycling and upcycling of crop residue to cascara will also help reduce GHG emission in this domain.
Indonesia (Kerinci):
Indonesia, on the other hand recorded one of the strongest CFP performances across all partner regions. Unlike Papua New Guinea, where processing was the dominant emission source, farm operations accounted for 96% of Indonesia’s emissions, with crop residue alone responsible for 94.8% of that share. While this leaves limited room for further intervention in production itself, the investigation identified that the biggest risk isn’t in the fields, but in the shipping process. Due to coffee beans from Indonesia containing high pesticide residue, imported shipments are sometimes returned, a process known as “ship-back.” This prevents entry into the destination market, forcing them to be shipped back to Indonesia, generating additional GHG emissions through transport. As a potential solution, the project is exploring nano-bubble washing technology, which uses ultra-fine bubbles in water to effectively remove pesticide residue from agricultural products before export.
Thailand (Northern Highland):
As in Indonesia, farm operations dominated the emissions profile at 96%, but in Thailand, the driver was different. Chemical fertilizer use alone was responsible for 94.9% of farm-operation emissions. While fertilizer consumption data was based on default assumptions due to limited on-the-ground data, chemical fertilizers are highly likely to remain the largest single source of emissions in the region. To address this, the project is exploring support for compost production using biostimulants as lower emission alternative to chemical fertilizer, alongside the introduction of agroforestry which could also prevent deforestation caused by slash-and-burn farming practices.
Takeaways and Future Direction
Taken together, these three cases tell a striking story: no two countries’ emission profiles look the same. Papua New Guinea’s challenge lies in processing infrastructure, Indonesia’s in an export-side risk, and Thailand’s in agricultural inputs. This has underlined the importance of on-the-ground data collection, insights that could only emerge from visiting each country individually.
Knowing where the risks lie, country by country, hectare by hectare, helps build solutions precise enough to tackle these specific challenges. With this groundwork laid, the project moves into phase 2, where these proposals will be tested through pilot studies on the ground. Ultimately, we hope to turn these initiatives into a lasting process that protects, rather than erodes, the advantage these producers already hold.
If you’re interested in learning more about GX transformation or LCA analysis within coffee supply chains, or want to collaborate with us on a project, reach out through the contact form below; we’d love to hear from you!
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