Swedes’ Passion for Coffee Tops the List of Amazon Deforestation Drivers
Dubai – Qahwa World
A new study shows that everyday purchasing habits in Europe directly influence the state of Brazil’s tropical forests, and in Sweden, coffee stands out as the main contributor. The country’s strong appetite for coffee has a larger impact on Amazon deforestation than its consumption of beef or soy.
Researchers from Chalmers University of Technology, the Stockholm Environment Institute and WWF produced an extensive analysis combining satellite imagery, agricultural output data and global consumption models. Their assessment provides one of the most detailed views to date of how consumer choices affect forest loss in the Amazon.
On the global level, cattle farming remains the primary force driving the destruction of Amazon forests, with pastures still expanding by around 1.4 million hectares every year. Degraded pastures are often converted into cropland instead of being restored. Soy production follows as another major cause, with 8.6 million hectares of forest lost between 2018 and 2022 due to beef and soy cultivation. Other crops competing for tropical forest land include rice, sorghum, palm oil, cocoa and coffee.
When researchers examined Sweden specifically, they found that coffee consumption had a greater impact on Amazon deforestation than the country’s consumption of beef or soy. In 2022 alone, Swedish coffee demand was linked to the loss of around 331 hectares of forest — the equivalent of 463 football fields. One of the authors explained that global discussions often highlight soy and livestock production, leaving the role of coffee less recognized.
Sweden ranks among the highest coffee-consuming nations in Europe, with an average of 12.3 kilograms per person per year. Several countries — including Lithuania, Estonia and Luxembourg — consume even more.
The study also found that the environmental impact varies significantly depending on the origin of the coffee beans. The European Union’s Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), intended to restrict products tied to forest destruction, was scheduled to take effect on 30 December 2025. However, the European Parliament decided to postpone its implementation by one year. A German MEP stressed that Europe’s demand for coffee, cocoa, beef and similar goods results in roughly 100 trees being cut or burned every minute and called for the regulation to be applied as soon as possible.
