Business Wars Chocolate and Sustainability | 7
Nov 18, 2019
Steven Mufson, a reporter for The Washington Post specializing in business and climate change, dives into the complex world of chocolate production and its environmental impact. He discusses the alarming rates of deforestation in cocoa-growing regions and the immense challenge of sustainable farming for companies like Mars and Hershey. Mufson highlights the difficulties faced by small farmers in West Africa and the implications of corporate sustainability initiatives. He paints a vivid picture of chocolate's climate dilemma and the urgent need for change.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Cocoa Tree Size
- Cocoa trees are relatively small, unlike the much larger old-growth trees they replace.
- These old-growth trees are crucial for carbon storage.
Cocoa Origins
- Two-thirds of the world's cocoa comes from Ivory Coast and Ghana in West Africa.
- This concentration is partly due to colonial-era trade patterns.
Deforestation Challenge
- Cocoa is a commodity, making it hard to distinguish origins and hold specific farmers accountable.
- Hundreds of thousands of small farmers in West Africa contribute to deforestation.