diff --git a/climada/util/constants.py b/climada/util/constants.py
index 90f352218..c338c4e4c 100644
--- a/climada/util/constants.py
+++ b/climada/util/constants.py
@@ -45,11 +45,6 @@
 
 import matplotlib as mpl
 
-# pylint: disable=unused-import
-# without importing numpy ahead of fiona the debugger may run into an error
-import numpy
-from fiona.crs import from_epsg
-
 from .config import CONFIG
 
 SYSTEM_DIR = CONFIG.local_data.system.dir(create=False)
@@ -212,9 +207,6 @@
 DEF_CRS = f"EPSG:{DEF_EPSG}"
 """Default coordinate reference system WGS 84, str, for pyproj and rasterio CRS.from_string()"""
 
-DEF_CRS_FIONA = from_epsg(DEF_EPSG)
-"""Default coordinate reference system WGS 84, dict, for fiona interface"""
-
 cm_data1 = [
     [0.00000000, 0.00000000, 0.00000000],
     [0.00032031, 0.00020876, 0.00015576],