Farmers produce around 5 million tonnes of cocoa beans each year to satisfy the world's huge appetite. But the massive demand has a significant impact on the environment, Christophe Alliot, co-founder of the BASIC think tank, explains.

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Farmers produce approximately 5 million tonnes of cocoa beans annually to satisfy the world's demand for chocolate, particularly during peak periods such as Easter. Europe is the primary consumer, ingesting nearly half of the global supply. However, according to Christophe Alliot, co-founder of the BASIC think tank, this demand has noteworthy environmental impacts. Specifically, the cultivation of cocoa often leads to deforestation because cocoa trees are planted on fertile forest soil, which contributes to climate change.

The problem is particularly acute in Western Africa, where significant cocoa production takes place. Low cocoa prices have historically compelled farmers to engage in deforestation to sustain their livelihoods. Despite current high cocoa prices, sustainable solutions remain crucial to address the ongoing ecological impact. Alliot suggests that consumers can contribute by prioritizing products with traceable and environmentally responsible cocoa sources, alongside fair trade commitments.

Moving forward, government action, especially through European Union directives and regulations, is seen as essential for providing structural changes to safeguard the environment. While consumer choices matter, systemic change through public policies is imperative to ensure long-term sustainability in the cocoa industry.



Easter: Chocolate's environmental impact explained

Well, today is Easter Sunday, and that of course means egg hunts and plenty of chocolate devoured across the world as families celebrate the holiday. Well, to meet this enormous demand of chocolate, farmers produce roughly 5 million tons of cocoa beans annually, with Europe consuming nearly half of the global supply. But behind this delectable treat, there's an ecological impact that comes at a cost. Earlier, we spoke to sustainability specialist Christophe Elliott for more. The main impact that people might think of is around climate change, and that is due to exactly what you see on the screen at the moment, which is cultivation of cocoa trees that has been for decades done partly on forests to have fertile soil that can be used to grow cocoa. Nowadays, the two main countries where cocoa is grown, 60% of world production, have almost only forests that are under scrutiny, under the supervision of the governments and public authorities, but also NGOs. So there might be here and there things that might happen. But mostly, I think, forest has been taken for cocoa. Now, the risks are in new regions outside these two countries, especially in Western Africa, because cocoa grows better with better yields and productivity. But this is where it comes to the big problem at the heart of cocoa, which has been for decades, the low prices for farmers. And this is why they've been trying to do their best to make a living. And that's induced this deforestation and thus climate change. Now, the situation is changing at the moment. Prices are very high, but still risks are ahead of us for the years to come, whether this situation will be reversed or not off of this ecological impact. Does sustainable chocolate then exist and how can we as consumers be more mindful and consuming sustainable chocolate? A very good question. As usual, that is one that is often asked around Easter, because Easter with Christmas are really the two main events of chocolate consumption, especially in Europe and Northern America, but beyond beyond these regions all over the world. First thing is for the consumer to ask questions on maybe two or three things. First, where the cocoa comes from, the more information is given to the consumer is also more reassurance, as we were saying earlier, that there is traceability, that at least the origin, the country of origin of cocoa is known. So that is one. The second is what about the, I would say, the ecological practices. So is it, for example, organic cocoa or does it, or does cocoa comes with some reassurances that there were good agricultural and environmental practices? And of course, at the heart, the last one is what about prices? So as I was saying, now prices are higher and almost all cocoa farmers are benefiting at least for a good part of these higher prices. But is there a commitment to maintain high prices on the long term? And that is often linked to fair trade labels or commitments. Maybe the last thing to say is that, of course, consumers can do a lot, but what will be game changing and what might be able to change things for the longer term and structurally is what the governments are going to do, especially the European Union, with its directives and regulations that are very important because consumers can make a lot, but they cannot solve everything on their shoulders and they need public authorities to take their responsibilities.

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