Fiona Harvey* says in Kenya, global warming will reduce the area of optimal tea-growing conditions by more than a quarter by 2050.
Tea-drinkers should brace themselves for a shock if the planet continues to heat up and the climate crisis intensifies, new research indicates.
Some of the world’s biggest tea-growing areas will be among the worst hit by extreme weather, and their yields are likely to be vastly reduced in the coming decades if climate breakdown continues at its current pace.
Floods, droughts, heatwaves and storms are likely to have a severe impact on tea-growing areas around the world, according to a report from the charity, Christian Aid.
In Kenya, the area of optimal tea-growing conditions will be reduced by more than a quarter by 2050, while about 39 per cent of areas with medium-quality growing conditions are facing destruction, according to the report.
Even before tea plantations are wiped out, however, tea drinkers may notice changes on their palate.
The impacts of flooding and the increased rainfall forecast in many tea regions will change the subtle flavours of the tea leaf, and potentially reduce its health benefits.
Waterlogging can prevent the ecological cues that cause the plant to release chemicals that enhance the flavour of tea, and that create its antioxidant properties, prized as a potential health benefit by tea drinkers.
These aromatic compounds, called secondary metabolites — which may also help boost the immune system and have anti-inflammatory properties — are also diluted when the plant receives too much water, resulting in leaves of lower quality and less tasty tea.
Climate Policy Lead at Christian Aid, Kat Kramer said we will lose the delicate nuances of flavour, the things that make tea so special.
“It’s like taking the herbs and spices away from a recipe — you will not get the same richness of flavour,” Ms Kramer said.
Tea-growing areas in India, China and Sri Lanka are also likely to be affected, according to the report.
Tea is also a major employer, with more than three million people in the sector in Africa alone, but tea farmers interviewed for the research reported that many young people were seeking alternatives to tea plantations, worried about the future.
Tea farmer from Kericho in the Western Highlands of Kenya, Richard Koskei (72) told the researchers that for generations he was proud that the tea grown there was the best in the world.
However, climate change posed a real threat.
“We cannot predict seasons any more, temperatures are rising, rainfall is more erratic, more often accompanied by unusual hailstones and longer droughts, which was not the case in the past,” Mr Koskei said.
Christian Aid is calling for a deal at the Cop26 Climate Summit that would strengthen rules against global greenhouse gas emissions. The summit is due to be hosted in Glasgow this November.
The charity also wants rich countries to provide poor regions with financial assistance to help them cope with the impacts of climate breakdown and extreme weather.
*Fiona Harvey is an award-winning environment journalist for the Guardian newspaper. She has reported on every major environmental issue from as far afield as the Arctic and the Amazon.
This article first appeared on the Guardian website.
