Filipino Scientist Receives Bibliotheca Alexandrina International Award Under Egypt’s Presidential Auspices

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Laureate’s Acceptance Speech Moves Audience in Egypt, Emphasizing Kindness, Compassion, and Service as True Measures of Greatness




L-R: Dr. Ahmed Zayed, Director of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Bibliotheca Alexandrina Laureate Glenn Banaguas, Dr. Abdel Aziz Konsowa, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research





The Bibliotheca Alexandrina has announced the winners of the prestigious Bibliotheca Alexandrina International Award 2025, conferred under the auspices of His Excellency President Abdel Fattah El‑Sisi of Egypt. In its inaugural edition, the Award honors individuals whose work exemplifies the transformative power of science, culture, and diplomacy.

Among the first Laureates is Glenn Banaguas, a world‑renowned Filipino science diplomat and multi‑awarded scientist, recognized for his pioneering leadership in climate resilience and sustainability, disaster risk reduction, and science diplomacy. He joins Prof. Hassan Shafik Abdullah, a British national of Egyptian origin, in receiving this historic distinction.

The Award carries a monetary value of one million Egyptian pounds, along with a gold medal and an official certificate of excellence. It reflects the Bibliotheca Alexandrina’s mission to rekindle the spirit of its ancient predecessor, a beacon of knowledge and dialogue, and to inspire global collaboration in addressing humanity’s greatest challenges.

In his acceptance speech, delivered at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina before distinguished leaders and colleagues, Banaguas moved the audience with words that transcended triumph and spoke to humanity’s higher calling. He began with humility:

“To be recognized as the first laureate of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina International Award is a moment of deep honor, one that I accept not for myself alone, but on behalf of all who believe in the power of science and diplomacy to transform lives.”

He offered heartfelt thanks to Egyptian leaders and organizers, including His Excellency President Abdel Fattah El‑Sisi, Dr. Abdel Aziz Konsowa, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Minister Yousri El Gamal, Head of the Jury Committee, Dr. Ahmed Zayed, Director of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, as well as Mr. Mohamed Salmawy and Dr. Mahmoud Hashem, distinguished members of the Supreme Committee of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina International Award. In his words, he recognized their tireless commitment to advancing science and education as pillars of progress, their dedication to ensuring that the award reflects excellence and service, their visionary leadership in sustaining the Bibliotheca Alexandrina as a global lighthouse of knowledge, and their wisdom in shaping this recognition. His gratitude set the tone for a speech that blended ceremonial dignity with profound moral reflection, elevating the moment into one of shared honor and collective purpose.

Banaguas shared lessons from his journey, reminding the audience that success and failure alike shape resilience. He spoke of the choice between striving to be the best and choosing to be kind:

“To be the best may win applause for a moment, but to be kind ensures that our impact endures across generations. Kindness is the true measure of greatness.”

He highlighted two initiatives that defined his path: Climate Smart Philippines: Science for Service, which evolved into the Climate Smart and Disaster Resilient ASEAN, and the Science Diplomacy Program, which expanded from the Philippines to ASEAN, Asia, and the world. These efforts, he emphasized, belong not to him alone but to communities and institutions united by the belief that knowledge must be transformed into service, and service into unity.

Banaguas concluded with a call to action, urging leaders and future generations to embrace compassion, humility, and forgiveness as enduring virtues:

“Greatness fades, but kindness endures. Achievements are remembered, but compassion is never forgotten. Titles may be lost, but humility and forgiveness live forever in the hearts of those we touch. May kindness be our legacy, compassion our language, and forgiveness our gift to the world.”

The ceremony, marked by orchestral music and seamless coordination, became more than an awarding event, it was a celebration of humanity, of knowledge, and of hope. For Banaguas, it was a defining moment that inscribed his name into the living history of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, a sanctuary of wisdom and a beacon of humanity’s eternal quest for knowledge.

“With tears of gratitude, I embrace my place in the Bibliotheca Alexandrina family, a home of knowledge, culture, and humanity where I will belong forever.”



The Bibliotheca Alexandrina, the modern “Library of Alexandria”, plays a vital role in the global scientific community. It serves as a cultural and intellectual hub, hosting the Arab Regional Office of The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) and collaborating with the International Science Council (ISC) to advance science, knowledge, and diplomacy worldwide. This positioning underscores the institution’s role not only as a guardian of heritage but also as a modern platform for scientific cooperation and dialogue.

DepEd champions TVET, stronger alignment of education, training, and industry at 16th ASEAN meet

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MANILA, 20 February 2026 — The Department of Education (DepEd) underscored the importance of stronger alignment among education institutions, training providers, industry partners, and government agencies as it represented the Philippines at the 16th ASEAN Qualifications Reference Framework Committee (AQRFC) Meeting.


DepEd emphasized that building a future-ready workforce requires a common framework that connects basic education, technical-vocational training, higher education, and employment, ensuring learners can transition more smoothly from school to work.


Education Secretary Sonny Angara stressed that strengthening alignment across sectors remains central to preparing Filipino learners for evolving workforce demands.

 


"Our biggest asset is our people. Under President Marcos Jr.'s leadership, we are envisioning a more creative and innovative Filipino learner, which will be a significant boost to the industry," Angara said.


This shared direction is reflected in ongoing updates to the Philippine Qualifications Framework (PQF), which helps define clearer pathways for learners and ensures that skills gained in school and training are recognized and valued across sectors.


The updated PQF now features eight levels aligned with the ASEAN Qualifications Reference Framework, with clear vertical, horizontal, and diagonal pathways between technical-vocational and higher education. Senior High School is mapped to Level 3, while micro-credentials have been formally integrated to support lifelong learning and give learners more flexible opportunities to build skills over time.


DepEd also underscored the need for stronger coordination with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to address persistent gaps between education and employment outcomes. The Department reiterated its support for a unified labor market information system and the expansion of enterprise-based training and industry-led upskilling programs.


These efforts aim to ensure that learners are better supported throughout their education and training, and are more prepared as they transition into technical-vocational programs and, ultimately, into the workforce.


The ASEAN meeting also followed the formal turnover of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) Final Report and the National Education and Workforce Development Plan (NatPlan) 2026–2035 to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., reinforcing the government’s whole-of-system approach to education and workforce development.


The revised PQF and ongoing legislative reforms, including the proposed Lifelong Learning Development Framework Act of 2025, expanded recognition of prior learning, and strengthened distance education policies, are expected to further support alignment across education, training, and employment sectors.


Angara emphasized that while the roadmap is now clearer, sustained coordination and shared accountability among institutions will be essential to ensure successful implementation.


"We already see alignment under President Marcos' leadership. The challenge now is execution—staying the course, aligning budgets and incentives, and holding ourselves jointly accountable for learning outcomes," he said.

PBBM salutes nearly 2,000 promoted teachers in Bulacan, Pampanga

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CITY OF SAN JOSE DEL MONTE, Bulacan, 19 February 2026 — President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday lauded the almost 2,000 newly promoted public school teachers and school leaders in Central Luzon, as the government accelerated the rollout of a career progression program aimed at expanding promotion opportunities in the education sector.



“Today, as you take your oath, you reaffirm the belief that every Filipino child deserves a fair shot at a brighter tomorrow. Bawat lesson plan na ginawa ninyo, bawat karanasan sa silid-aralan na nililikha ninyo, bawat mabuting asal na itinuturo ninyo, doon unti-unting nabubuo ang kumpiyansa at pangarap ng ating mga estudyante,” President Marcos said.



Education Secretary Sonny Angara led the oath taking of 1,991 promoted and reclassified personnel from Bulacan and Pampanga at the City of San Jose del Monte Sports Complex. The group included teachers promoted to higher ranks from Teacher II to Teacher VII, Master Teachers I to III, and school principals from Principal I to Principal IV.



The ceremony forms part of the nationwide implementation of Republic Act No. 12288, or the Career Progression for Public School Teachers and School Leaders Act, signed by President Marcos in 2025. The law establishes a structured, competency-based system that allows educators to advance through either classroom teaching or school leadership tracks, with equivalent salaries and benefits.

“Sa pagpapabilis at pagpapalawak ng promosyon, mas napapalakas natin ang hanay ng mga guro na siyang susi sa mas dekalidad na edukasyon para sa bawat batang Pilipino,” Secretary Angara said. “Malinaw na pagsasabuhay ito ng prayoridad ng Pangulo na palakasin ang ating sistema ng edukasyon sa pamamagitan ng mas matibay na suporta sa ating mga guro.”



The Bulacan and Pampanga cluster accounted for one of the largest groups of newly promoted personnel in recent months. Bulacan recorded 408 promotees, followed by Pampanga with 368, Mabalacat City with 301, Angeles City with 238, and the City of San Fernando with 233. Other school divisions included Meycauayan City with 128, San Jose del Monte City with 145, Malolos City with 90, and Baliwag with 80.



More than 16,000 teachers nationwide had already been promoted under the expanded career progression system, with 40,000 more applications under review.



Implemented by the Department of Education (DepEd), the new system expands career ranks, including Teacher IV to VII and Master Teacher V, to address long-standing promotion bottlenecks and recognize teachers’ professional growth and years of service.



Angara noted the reform is designed to boost morale, retain experienced educators in classrooms, and strengthen instructional quality in public schools.



The oath-taking in Central Luzon follows similar ceremonies in other regions. In January, 789 teachers in the Ilocos Region were sworn into higher positions, while 2,915 personnel in the National Capital Region were promoted or reclassified under the same program and through regular promotion channels.

At the same time, DepEd continues to implement the YAKAP program, a comprehensive initiative focused on the welfare of teachers, personnel, and learners, which includes strengthened access to healthcare services in partnership with PhilHealth.



President Marcos and Sec. Angara visited YAKAP implementation in Minuya Elementary School in Bulacan, where they engaged with teachers and personnel and underscored the government’s commitment to supporting educators beyond career advancement.

Rene Pineda, Staunch Environmental Advocate, Completed His Journey at 69

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20 February 2026, Quezon City. Renato “Rene” D. Pineda, Jr., a fearless environmental warrior, passed away on February 16, 2026. He would have turned 70 on August 13.

Pineda is revered for his companionship, leadership, and commitment to Mother Earth and the Filipino people. He is particularly remembered for his principled stance on many issues that matter to the health and well-being of the people and the ecosystems, challenging duty-bearers, government and industry leaders in particular, to prioritize environmental sustainability and social justice.

In his decades of advocacy, Pineda served in various capacities in many environmental formations such as the Concerned Citizens Against Pollution (COCAP), Consumer Rights for Safe Food (CRSF), EcoWaste Coalition, Green Convergence for Safe Food, Healthy Environment and Sustainable Economy, National Task Force Against Aerial Spraying (NTFAAS), Partnership for Clean Air (PCA), and more.

As president of the PCA, Pineda fought for the basic right to clean air. “Aside from stopping waste burning in all its forms, action is needed to reduce air pollution from coal power plants and industrial facilities, as well as from vehicles, planes, and ships. Our children and their children will be better off if we invest more in zero waste resource management, energy efficiency, and renewable energy sources rather than in fossil fuel combustion and waste-to-energy incineration,” he stated.

Pineda supported the EcoWaste Coalition’s long-running campaign against firecrackers and fireworks called “Iwas Paputoxic.” Addressing a community event in Caloocan City, he pointed out: “The unseen health hazard of air pollution brought about by lighting firecrackers and fireworks far outweighs the momentary spectacle of revelry. Toxic fumes emitted by these explosives often contain complex chemical compounds that may lead to respiratory tract infections and even death in vulnerable sectors like the elderly, children, and pregnant women.”



As then vice-president of the EcoWaste Coalition, Pineda minced no words in rejecting landfill disposal for the controversial Canadian garbage shipment. “We stand in solidarity with the Tarlac government and people in their efforts to stop a precedent-setting disposal of illegal trash from Canada and ensure the protection of public health and the environment. Canada cannot simply bury the evidence of this case of gross environmental injustice in our soil and get away with it,” he said. To prevent pollution, Pineda called on the national government to undertake two urgent steps: “First, we should ratify the Basel Ban Amendment (to protect the country from becoming a foreign waste dumpsite) and second, we should stop tinkering with legalizing the burning of waste through waste-to-energy (WtE) proposals."

As early as 2010, Pineda had objected to WtE incineration. "It will instantly cut the cycle of resources that require lots of energy to produce. The alleged energy recovery by a WtE is nowhere near one-tenth of one percent of a resource’s energy requirement to be mined, transformed and manufactured, marketed and used as a consumer item, and disposed of as waste. Therefore, a WtE, no matter how it is green-washed today by its proponents, will hasten the depletion of the Earth’s non-renewable resources. It will quickly de-energize our planet and fuel nations in the race against an irreversible global warming.”

As head of the NTFAAS, he reminded banana plantation owners engaged in the aerial application of pesticides that “to be in business is not a matter of right but a privilege.” He said: “In the discourse about aerial spraying of pesticides, wherein a clear-cut policy is absent ever since, and severe public health and environment hazards are clearly established and verifiable, that privilege is mandatorily prevailed upon by the most supreme right – the right to life of affected citizens.”



Disturbed by moves to revive the mothballed Bataan Nuclear Power Plant, Pineda urged proponents to rethink their “solution” to the energy crisis: “We urge our policy makers not to wake up the sleeping ‘monster of Morong’ from its 30-year slumber. It’s better to keep the plant idle rather than to create a highly toxic problem that our nation cannot handle.”

As president of the CRSF, he pushed for food safety vigilance to ensure quality and safe food for all. “We call upon the government to uphold the safety and welfare of the consuming public by the full implementation of laws (particularly RA 10611 or the Food Safety Act) that govern the safety of food.” More recently, Pineda pressed the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to speed up the probe on the use of banned food coloring Rhodamine B in fermented shrimp paste (bagoong alaman), “so corrective measures can be immediately carried out.”

Pineda also backed legal challenges and remedies to uphold the right to health and the right to a healthy environment. In 2015, he joined environmental groups and advocates in intervening in a Canadian garbage dumping case at the Manila Regional Trial Court. In 2018, he led the filing of a petition for writ of mandamus at the Quezon City Regional Trial Court, together with the late Laban Konsyumer president Vic Dimagiba, to press for the release of the long-delayed Implementing Rules and Regulations of RA 10620.

Pineda is lying in repose at the Transfiguration of Christ Parish, Barangay San Roque, Antipolo City. Interment is set for February 24, 2026.

Consumers welcome Free Electricity bill, stress need for awareness campaigns

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Metro Manila (February 20) – Electricity consumer welfare group Kuryente.org welcomed the recent filing of a bill that aims to provide free electricity access to households with a low average monthly consumption. However, the group emphasized that there is still a need to increase the awareness of consumers of available benefits.

House Bill 2700 filed by Ilocos Norte First District Rep. Sandro Marcos seeks to use direct government subsidies to cover the cost of electricity for households and consumers whose average monthly consumption in three months does not exceed 135 kilowatt-hours (kWh), or whose monthly bill does not exceed P2,000, whichever is lower.

“The bill is good news,” says Kuryente.org National Coordinator Bas Umali. “We support any law or program that provides benefits, especially to our poor consumers.”

Umali also urged the House Majority Leader to review and study which charges from electricity bills may still be removed or reduced and paid by the government.

More education

Umali says the government currently has a lifeline rate program which gives assistance to low-income consumers as well as discounts for senior citizens. The cost of these subsidies and discounts is borne by fellow consumers through cross-subsidization.

However, only 334,000 consumers are registered under the lifeline rate out of 4.5 million potential qualified beneficiaries, according to the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC).

Through consultations with communities, Kuryente.org found that many consumers were not aware of the lifeline rate. Umali says the government should improve and expand their information education communication campaigns so that consumers may become informed of the benefits available to them.

“The community’s sentiments were consistent with our office’s observation that the consumer education campaign of the DOE and ERC regarding this program is insufficient,” says Umali. “We are asking the government to study existing programs to gain insights on how to improve the proposed bills to support consumers.”

The government should also evaluate the implementation of existing programs to identify the limitations and challenges that should become the basis of new policies, says Umali. He adds that the government should study if the discount for senior citizens is enough and how more consumers can benefit from the lifeline rate apart from the over four million who are qualified.

Robinsons Hotels and Resorts Achieves Third Consecutive Great Place To Work® Certification with 97% Employee Trust Rating

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February 2026…..Robinsons Hotels and Resorts (RHR), the hospitality arm of Robinsons Land Corporation (RLC), has officially earned the Great Place To Work® Certification™ for the third consecutive year. The recognition is a direct result of a comprehensive Trust Index© survey, where an overwhelming 97% of employees affirmed RHR’s status as a premier employer of choice. 

Great Place To Work® is the global authority on workplace culture and leadership behaviors proven to drive market-leading revenue, employee retention, and increased innovation. 

Barun Jolly, Robinsons Hotels and Resorts Senior Vice President and Business Unit General Manager shares, “Being recognized for three years running is an incredible honor that belongs to our entire team. We view our people as co-partners in our journey, and knowing they feel supported and inspired is a great motivation for me as a leader. There is a powerful synergy between a happy workplace and world-class service. By prioritizing our employees' well-being, we enable them to deliver the genuine, heartfelt hospitality that defines who we are.”   

The philosophy of "Hospitality by Heart" is deeply embedded in the RHR experience. The company’s unique culture balances visionary leadership with genuine empowerment, allowing team members to make a tangible impact in the community beyond their daily roles. This is evident in RHR’s CSR initiatives, where employees transcend material giving by developing specialized training modules for youth to equip them with essential life skills and a deep pride in their Filipino identity. 

This environment also fosters significant career growth through mentorship and leadership development. A clear example of this is the group’s ability to develop talent from within, seeing team members rise from entry-level positions to hotel leaders. By providing the right tools and genuine care, RHR transforms jobs into rewarding, long-term careers. 

Mybelle V. Aragon-GoBio, RLC President and CEO congratulates the Hotels and Resorts Business Unit for this milestone. “This recognition affirms the excellence of our hospitality team and showcases how our vision of thoughtful, people-centered development creates a gold standard for the industry. In an environment where our employees are empowered to grow and feel valued, we continue to lead through service excellence and heartfelt hospitality. This achievement inspires us as we remain at the forefront of the industry, supported by the talent and dedication of our people.”    

Robinsons Hotels and Resorts maintains 30 properties across 20 cities and municipalities--the widest geographical hotel presence in the Philippines. It is driven by a portfolio that combines distinctive homegrown concepts with strategic international partnerships. Spanning ultra-luxury to essential value, its home-grown brands include NUSTAR Hotel, Fili Hotel, Grand Summit Hotel, Summit Hotels and Resorts, Go Plus Hotels and Go Hotels. Robinsons Hotels and Resorts is currently undergoing a strategic expansion program, specifically targeting growth in the luxury and upscale lifestyle segments. 

The Robinsons Hotels and Resorts team celebrates with a Thanksgiving Dinner at Summit Ridge Tagaytay

Shaping the Next Generation of Filipino Culinary Professionals:18th Philippine Food Expo Presents the Culinary Challenges

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The Culinary Challenge returns as one of the flagship events of the 18th Philippine Food Expo 2026, bringing together the country’s most promising culinary students and educators for a three-day celebration of skill, creativity, and professional excellence. Happening on April 17–19, 2026 at the World Trade Center, Metro Manila,

The Culinary Challenge, organized under the Philippine Food Expo, serves as a vital platform that bridges classroom learning and real-world culinary practice by mirroring industry standards, encouraging innovation, and nurturing the next generation of Filipino culinary talent.

The competition is open to currently enrolled students and faculty members from culinary schools, colleges, universities, and hospitality and tourism management programs. Participating institutions can gain national visibility, recognition for culinary excellence, and a meaningful benchmark for aligning academic training with professional practice.

National Platform for Culinary Excellence

The Culinary Challenge strengthens collaboration between culinary schools, colleges, and universities across the Philippines, while fostering healthy competition and professional growth among students and faculty alike. Participants gain hands-on experience that reflects the realities of hotel, restaurant, and tourism operations. At its core, the Culinary Challenge emphasizes:

● Technical culinary mastery

● Creativity and artistry

● Nutrition and healthy cooking

● Professional discipline and teamwork

“Bounty of the South: Davao on a Plate”

This year highlights the richness of Southern Philippine flavors, with a particular focus on Davao's regional ingredients, heritage dishes, and culinary identity. Across most categories, participants are challenged to reinterpret local flavors using modern techniques while maintaining cultural authenticity.

The competition features a diverse set of categories that test a wide range of culinary and hospitality skills:

● Food Styling & Photography: An on-the-spot food styling competition which aims to showcase the combination of art and culinary skills of each student.

● Philippine Regional Table Setting: Participants shall set-up a 2-seater table judged by their hospitality, service, and thematic presentation.

● Creative Filipino Dessert Platter: An on-the-spot cooking competition where participants must create a creative Filipino dessert platter using local flavors.

● Healthy Pasta: An on-the-spot cooking competition where participants must create a nutritionally balanced Filipino-inspired pasta.

● Kitchen Masters (30-Minute Challenge): A time-pressured, on-the-spot cooking competition.

● Pinasarap Breakfast: An on-the spot cooking competition where participants must create a “Balanced Pinoy Breakfast Meal”

● Mystery Ingredient: An on-the-spot cooking competition focusing on Davao Regional Dishes using Mystery Ingredients.

● PFE Knowledge Challenge: Academic quiz bee to test the knowledge of student tandems on local food and beverage, geography and tourism.

A Culinary Stage That Shapes Careers

As part of the 18th Philippine Food Expo, the Culinary Challenge stands as a testament to the country’s commitment to culinary education, innovation, and cultural pride. By empowering students, mentoring them alongside faculty, and placing Filipino cuisine at the center of global conversations, the Culinary Challenge continues to shape the future of the Philippine culinary industry one plate at a time

For more information, kindly email pfeculinarychallenge@gmail.com. Stay updated on further announcements by following @philfoodexpo on Facebook and Instagram.

More airlines join NAIA’s self check-in and automated gates

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Self check-in kiosks at NAIA are now accessible to more passengers as more airlines join the new automated passenger processing program introduced by NNIC.

More passengers can now use NAIA’s Self Check-in kiosks, automated Pre-Security screening gates, and Self-Boarding gates at Terminals 1, 2, and 3, as additional airlines complete system integration and join the airport’s automated passenger processing program.

 

The system, which has been progressively implemented across the airport, allows eligible passengers to check in, print boarding passes, tag their bags, clear initial security, and board flights through automated lanes, helping reduce queuing times and ease congestion at traditional counters. A phased activation of automated Bag Drop features is also ongoing.

 

The services are currently enabled for the following airlines and passenger categories:

 

TERMINAL 1

-Philippine Airlines: International destinations, excluding Middle East and Japan routes

-Asiana Airlines: Korean nationals and foreign passengers with no visa requirements

 

TERMINAL 2

-Philippine Airlines: All domestic destinations

-Cebu Pacific: All domestic destinations

-AirAsia: All domestic destinations

 

TERMINAL 3

-Cebu Pacific: All domestic and international destinations

-AirAsia: All international destinations

-United Airlines: Foreign passengers with no visa requirements

-Qatar Airways: All passengers

-Air Canada: All passengers

 

“These systems are already operational, and we are seeing more airlines come on board as integration is completed,” New NAIA Infra Corp. (NNIC), the airport’s private operator, said. “As participation expands, more passengers will be able to move through check-in, security, and boarding more efficiently.”

 

The automated processing systems form part of NAIA’s broader efforts to improve passenger flow and align airport operations with biometric-enabled standards used at major international hubs across Asia, the Middle East, and North America.

 

Passengers on eligible flights are encouraged to use the Self Check-in kiosks located near the check-in areas of each terminal. After printing boarding passes and bag tags, they may proceed to Bag Drop counters or automated lanes before continuing through the Pre-Security and Self-Boarding gates. Additional airlines and routes will be enabled in the coming months as integration work continues.

The Bitter Aftertaste: How Climate Change is Scorching Your Daily Brew

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For billions, the day doesn't truly begin until the first sip of coffee. But that cherished morning ritual is under a growing, invisible threat. New research reveals that carbon pollution is fundamentally altering the "Bean Belt," turning up the heat to levels that coffee plants simply weren't built to survive.

A Global Crisis in a Cup

Coffee is a global powerhouse, with 2.2 billion cups consumed daily—two-thirds of adults in the U.S. alone are daily drinkers. Yet, the very supply of this beloved beverage is tightening. A comprehensive new analysis from Climate Central reveals a startling reality: between 2021 and 2025, climate change added an average of 47 extra days of "coffee-harming heat" annually across the 25 primary coffee-producing nations. These countries represent a staggering 97% of the world's total coffee production.

Scorching the Top Five

The impact is most severe in the nations we rely on most. The top five producers—Brazil, Vietnam, Colombia, Ethiopia, and Indonesia—supply 75% of the world’s coffee. On average, these five nations now face 57 additional days of harmful heat every year specifically due to climate change.

Brazil: The world’s leading producer faced an extra 70 coffee-harming days annually. In its premier growing state, Minas Gerais, heat stress was present for an additional 67 days per year.

Vietnam: The second-largest producer saw 59 extra days of damaging heat.

Indonesia: Experienced 73 additional harmful days due to a warming climate.

Colombia: Faced 48 extra days of heat stress.

Ethiopia: The birthplace of Arabica coffee saw 34 additional days of harmful temperatures.

The Science of Stress

Coffee plants are notoriously finicky, thriving only within narrow temperature and rainfall windows. The "danger zone" begins at 30°C (86°F). Once temperatures cross this threshold, the plants suffer from heat stress that reduces yields, degrades bean quality, and leaves them wide open to devastating diseases and pests like coffee leaf rust and the coffee berry borer.

Arabica beans—which make up 60-70% of the global supply—are particularly vulnerable. Suboptimal growth for Arabica actually begins at even lower temperatures (25-30°C), meaning these findings likely represent a conservative estimate of the true damage.

The Human Cost: From Farm to Counter

While the data is cold and clinical, the human reality is anything but. Smallholder farmers, who manage about 80% of global coffee production, are on the front lines.

"Coffee farmers in Ethiopia are already seeing the impact of extreme heat," says Dejene Dadi, General Manager of the Oromia Coffee Farmers Cooperatives Union. "Without sufficient shade, coffee trees produce fewer beans and become more vulnerable to disease."

These farmers are being squeezed from both sides: rising production costs and shrinking yields. Despite providing 60% of the global supply, smallholders received a mere 0.36% of the climate adaptation financing needed in 2021. Ironically, the cost to help a 1-hectare farm adapt is roughly $2.19 a day—often less than the price of a single cup of coffee in a high-income country.

Why Your Latte Costs More

This environmental pressure isn't just a distant problem for farmers; it’s hitting consumers directly at the cash register. Volatile weather and extreme events in the "Bean Belt" have already contributed to price spikes, with record highs reached in December 2024 and February 2025. Combined with shifting rainfall patterns and severe droughts, such as the one seen in Brazil in 2023, the cost of your daily brew is likely to continue its upward climb as the planet warms.

As Dr. Kristina Dahl of Climate Central warns, "Climate change is coming for our coffee... these impacts may ripple outward from farms to consumers, right into the quality and cost of your daily brew".