Good news: chocolate isn’t going extinct (but it may become more expensive)
Worrying reports in newspapers and online claim that climate change means no cocoa beans can be grown in thirty years. And think about it: no cocoa beans means no cocoa, and therefore no more chocolate. But before you launch into a full-blown panic attack: the facts have been checked, and it’s not all that bad. Fewer cocoa beans may be harvested in Africa, but worldwide, cocoa cultivation may only take a small knock.
News website Business Insider reported the bad news three years ago already: due to climate change, no cocoa would be able to grow in several decades. That disastrous news was picked up by De Telegraaf, and other media also warned of the imminent disappearance of chocolate. Fortunately, Nu.nl looked into it: is it true that climate change will soon make chocolate unavailable?
Only around the equator
Climate change does affect cocoa cultivation, and Nu.nl acknowledges this too. Cocoa trees thrive in a zone around the equator. Climate change is not only causing temperatures to rise, but is also changing the moisture balance in these tropical regions: there will be less rainfall, and rising temperatures will cause moisture to evaporate from the soil and plants. This is disastrous for cocoa trees, which need high humidity. Cocoa plantations in West Africa are particularly at risk.
Developing new cocoa trees
Fortunately, cocoa is grown in many more places around the world, and plenty can still be done to avert disaster. For example, confectionery manufacturer Mars is working with the University of California to develop cocoa trees that are more resistant to drought. Researchers also advise planting other trees in the rainforest, so cocoa plantations can grow in the shade.
A little more expensive
In countries such as Indonesia and Malaysia, cocoa plantations are not at risk, and climate change may even make it possible to grow cocoa in Australia. The conclusion: perhaps less cocoa will come from Ghana and Ivory Coast, but enough cocoa is grown to make up for that. Cocoa may become slightly more expensive if supply decreases, but that’s all.
