Unintended consequences of EU Deforestation-Free Regulation (EUDR) on smallholder coffee producers in East Timor, part 1

[Editor’s note: This is part one of a two-part column by guest author Andrew Hetzel. Daily Coffee News does not engage in sponsored content of any kind, and all views or opinions expressed in this piece are those of the author/s.] Agriculture is a leading cause of land use change and deforestation, and the second largest emitter of greenhouse gasses behind burning fossil fuels. To reduce the adverse effects of farming on the climate, the European Union passed landmark legislation in 2023 requiring seven agricultural commodities to be confirmed “deforestation free” before importation. Enforcement of the European Union Deforestation-free Regulation (EUDR) begins in January 2025. Coffee, claimed to represent 7% of EU-driven deforestation, is one of the law’s regulated commodities. While applauded as a significant environmental milestone, EUDR’s design fails to consider complex smallholder agricultural supply chains, such as those found in coffee. Coffee is farmed by millions of ...