Chocolate May Be Extinct by 2050 Due to Climate change.

Latest foresight from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) says that cacao trees (which grow chocolate-producing cocoa beans) will probably go extinct as early as 2050 because of climate change.

Cacao trees are unique among the tropical plant world; they require particular conditions to cultivate and grow. According to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), cacao trees can only grow within 20 degrees of the equator, which is either north or south, that is in areas with constant humidity and rainfall.

Almost significant part of the world’s cocoa beans come from two countries in West Africa, Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana. Both the countries will experience a 3.8°F temperature increase by 2050. After this happens to those nations, cacao farms are forced to push out of the rainforests and up into cooler mountainous areas. This seems to be a quick fix but it basically boils down to a depressing “would you rather” scenario: A) grow chocolate to meet the global demand, or B) preserve natural habitats?

Don’t lose hope already, because there may be a long-term and eco-friendly solution on its way. The University of California Berkeley’s Scientists have Joined with the Mars company, creators of M&M’s and Snickers, to save cacao crops by altering the DNA of the species.

This project’s main idea is to use gene-editing technology, which is known as CRISPR, which converts plants into a different species that can survive drier, warmer climates.

It’s not clear right now how long this University of California Berkeley initiative will take. So in the meantime, we suggest you enjoy the delicious sweet chocolates as much you can.

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