Coffee and chocolate production volumes may decline as climate change and habitat loss put the pollinators of tropical crops under pressure, scientists have warned.
Researchers from University College London (UCL) and the city’s Natural History Museum found that the number of insects that pollinate those plants decreased by 61 per cent wherever they were affected by rising temperatures and a reduction of habitats.
Ecologist Tim Newbold from UCL’s Division of Biosciences said he and his colleagues examined data from more than 1,500 crop-growing sites around the world. Over 3,000 pollinating insect species were considered in their study, he explained.
Tim said: “We’re seeing the climate change is already having this really strong impact on pollinators. Massive warming in the tropics is pushing those species over the edge.”
Countries such as China, India and coffee export market leader Brazil are affected the worst, he warned. Tim also emphasised that, apart from the production of coffee and chocolate, mango plantations were affected.
The UCL expert pointed out that these regions and crops have not been in the focus of scientists when it comes to the decline of bees and global warming.
Natural History Museum data scientist Joe Millard said he was not expecting a complete end to the production of coffee or chocolate. But Joe warned that products would become more expensive.
Around four in 10 cups of coffee are consumed in Europe. Asian coffee lovers take second place with a global share of 26 per cent.
People in the northern European countries of Finland, Norway and Iceland lead the global coffee consumption rankings. Finland tops the statistics with an annual per capita consumption of 12 kilogrammes.
The average per capita consumption of chocolate is 900 grammes (2 lbs). The treat is most popular in Switzerland where 11.8 kilogrammes (26 lbs) were eaten by each resident on average last year.
Chocolate is in great demand in the United States (9 kg, 19.8 lbs) as well. Its consumption volumes are significantly lower in countries such as the United Kingdom (2.9 kg, 6.4 lbs), Brazil (1.4 kg, 3.1 lbs), India (1 kg, 2.2 lbs) and China (0.2 kg, 0.44 lbs).
