According to a recent report on the website of the British "Guardian", studies have shown that if global warming and the climate crisis intensify, people may no longer be able to drink tea of the same quality as before.
According to the report, some of the largest tea-growing areas in the world will be one of the most severely affected by extreme weather. If the climate collapse continues to develop at the current rate, the output of these tea-growing areas is likely to plummet in the next few decades. According to a report by the charity Christian Relief Society, floods, droughts, heat waves and storms are likely to have serious impacts on tea-producing areas around the world.
The report shows that nearly half of the tea consumed in the UK comes from Kenya. By 2050, the areas in Kenya that meet the best tea growing conditions will be reduced by more than a quarter, and about 39% of the areas that meet the medium tea growing conditions are facing destruction.
However, even before the destruction of the tea plantation, tea drinkers may notice a change in the taste of tea: in many tea-producing areas, the impact of flooding and increased rainfall will change the flavor of tea and may reduce its health effects. benefit.
Waterlogging prevents the tea tree from releasing the ecological factors that increase the aroma of the tea tree. It is these chemicals that enhance the taste of tea and create its antioxidant properties. Tea drinkers value the antioxidant properties as a potential health benefit. These aromatic compounds called secondary metabolites may also help strengthen the immune system and have anti-inflammatory properties. When plants get too much water, these compounds are also diluted, which leads to a decline in the quality and taste of tea.
Kate Kramer, head of climate policy at the Christian Relief Society, said: "You will lose the delicate flavor that makes the tea taste special. It's like taking herbs and spices away from the recipe-you won't get the same rich aroma. ."
According to the report, tea-producing areas in India, China and Sri Lanka may also be affected. The tea industry can be regarded as a major employer. There are more than 3 million people working in the industry in Africa alone. However, tea farmers interviewed for this study said that many young colleagues are looking for another way out because they are worried about the future.
Richard Koskie, a 72-year-old tea farmer from Corico, in the western highlands of Kenya, told the researchers: "For generations, we have been carefully nurturing our tea gardens. The tea we grow for ourselves is the best in the world. We are proud of tea. But climate change poses a real threat to us. We can no longer predict the seasons. Temperatures are rising, rainfall is more unstable, more often accompanied by unusual hail and longer droughts. This is not the case."