If you’re looking for yet another reason to be concerned about climate change, look no further than cacao.
That’s right. You’ve read that correctly. Chocolate lovers, beware.
The three leading global producers of chocolate—Ghana, Ivory Coast, and Indonesia—run a risk of becoming an unsuitable places for chocolate cultivation. According to a study led by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), by 2050, the three countries will likely experience a 3.8° F (or 2.1°C) increase in temperature. The change in temperature would negatively impact the production of chocolate.
The heat isn’t the main issue; in fact, the problem lies with the inability to account for the loss of moisture. It is highly unlikely that there will be an increase in rainfall to go along with this increase in temperature, so the cacao leaves and surrounding plants will dry out.
While we should be slightly worried about the chance of losing a delectable treat, we should also be concerned about the potential economic consequences for all markets.
Chocolate is adored universally
Luckily, as of now, the report is not definitive. There’s still an opportunity for things to turn around as far as climate change is concerned.
Though, with all of that into consideration, we should still be cautious about our contribution to global warming and the likelihood of us negatively impacting even more produce.
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