Roasting Coffee, not the Earth: Event by NUS Centre for Nature-based Climate Solutions

Roasting coffee… not the Earth

Many of us rely on a strong brew to get us through the day, but what does coffee have to do with wildlife conservation and climate change? Wake up to the links between the biodiversity and climate crises at this event, where we discuss the environmental impact of the cultivation and consumption of coffee.

In Southeast Asia, demand for kopi luwak – highly prized coffee made of cherries partially digested by civets – is threatening the welfare of these animals; while forests in many parts of the world are often razed to grow coffee plants. The good news is, there is a way to enjoy a cuppa joe without costing the Earth. Find out how at this event organised by the NUS Centre for Nature-based Climate Solutions and The Social Space.

Speakers:

• Ms Fung Tze Kwan is a wildlife ecologist and PhD researcher at the NUS Centre for Nature-based Climate Solutions. She has been involved in the research and conservation of the common palm civet since 2010, specialising in their feeding ecology and seed dispersal effectiveness in forests and urban landscapes. Her current research focuses on plant-animal interactions, specifically on linking seed dispersal ecology to forest restoration for biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation.
  
  
• Mr Mark Cheong is a photojournalist based in Singapore who picked up photography as a skateboarder during his teenage years. He started his career at Singapore's largest daily broadsheet, The Straits Times, in 2012, and has covered everything from football to festivals, and robberies to riots. He also travels extensively around Southeast Asia for a wide range of assignments, including an environmental feature on the wild animal trade in the region.
  
  
• Ms Ho Li Ling is a manager for regional partnerships at Mandai Nature, a non-for-profit conservation organisation. She made a mid-career switch from medicine to pursue her love for wildlife conservation. Since 2019, she has been working closely with conservation partners in Southeast Asia to provide support and enable the delivery of grant support. In addition to her work at Mandai Nature, Li Ling has taken on the role of Grants Manager at the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) SSC Asian Species Action Partnership (ASAP), which is hosted by Mandai Nature. Her work directly contributes to the mission of the IUCN SSC Asian Species Action Partnership, which is to halt species extinctions in Southeast Asia.