Going Green: Climate change puts the British cuppa under threat

Cup of tea. Photo: AdobeCup of tea. Photo: Adobe
Cup of tea. Photo: Adobe
We know not much is safe from the devastating effects of climate change and now the humble British cuppa is under threat. 100 million cups are drunk daily in the UK but weather issues in India and Kenya could put prices up by as much as 30 per cent.

Harvests in both countries will be affected this year and in future years with heatwaves, drought and flooding all affecting the yield and making prices rise. In fact, tea production in India in May was down by 30 percent compared to the same period in 2023.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Shilajit Roy Choudhury, vice-president of the United Nilgiri Tea Estates company in Tamil Nadu, Southern India says: “I’ve been in the plantation industry for 35 years now and see the change,” he says. “I would love, every day, to have sun in the morning and rain in the afternoon. Historically that was the case. It is not anymore.” With rains in the region already a month and a half late, temperatures on the plantation which is 6,500 – 7000 foot above sea level – have already been touching 30 degrees which affects yield.

A cup of tea has always been an affordable pleasure, while average UK price hikes are currently around 7 percent year on year, there’s every possibility that figure will increase further, putting a mug of builders’ under threat.

Unfortunately, too it’s not just the Great British Institution of a cuppa that’s at risk. Scientists at our beloved Kew Gardens in London have said half of the garden’s 11,000 trees could be at risk before the end of the century due to the devastating effects of climate change in the UK.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Oak, beech, silver birch and holly are all affected by warmer temperatures and longer dry spells, so what can be done?

The scientists behind the research have suggested sourcing seeds of the same trees from drier, more climate resilient areas of the world like Romania and Serbia, which could mean we can continue to have our native species grow but with a small variation.

The alternative is the landscape of the gardens changes as trees and plants traditional in hotter climates or in greenhouses, can start to thrive outside in the British climate. “I think there will be some really quite novel species that people associate with glasshouses at the moment,” Simon Toomer, curator for living collections at Royal Botanic Gardens (RBG) Kew told BBC News. "You know, there might be a few more palms in the in the landscape where they are drought tolerant.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Seeds are vital for our entire world to thrive, but climate change is even affecting seed banks. A Norwegian seed bank built into permafrost was designed to protect the world’s seeds in the event of a global disaster, but warming temperatures saw meltwater seep into the seed bank. Fortunately, no seeds were destroyed but the picture could have been very different.

The impact on the landscape of the UK changing its native species will be huge. Imagine lying out under palm trees rather than stunning oak trees. Picnics and UK parks could change completely.

Related topics:
News you can trust since 1772
Follow us
©National World Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.Cookie SettingsTerms and ConditionsPrivacy notice