What Type of Chocolate is Best for Climate?

Provided by: Project Drawdown |Published on: May 15, 2026

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Synopsis

This article explores how the climate impact of chocolate varies by type, focusing on the ingredients and how agricultural practices for each ingredient shape the overall greenhouse gas footprint.
The article compares how chocolate types impact emissions, land use, and water use, and illustrates how partial decarbonization can still meaningfully reduce emissions.

Related Teaching Resources

Subjects: Earth and Space Sciences

Authors: Emily Cassidy

Region: Africa, Asia, South and Central America, Global

Languages: English

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Teaching Materials

Prerequisites:

Ensure students are familiar with the impacts of deforestation in terms of climate change.
Define terms such as carbon sequestration, carbon dioxide equivalent emissions, and others.

Classroom Implementation:

Use this article in a lesson or unit where students explore the climate impacts of the foods they eat.
Have students demonstrate their understanding by explaining the climate impacts of chocolate production and what can be done to mitigate these impacts.

Extensions:

Ask students to pick another everyday food item and predict its climate impact relative to an alternative before researching, then compare.

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Resource Type and Format

About the Partner Provider

Project Drawdown

Project Drawdown is a nonprofit organization that seeks to help the world reach “drawdown”—the future point in time when levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere stop climbing and start to steadily decline. Cities, universities, corporations, philanthropies, policymakers, communities, educators, activists, and more turn to Project Drawdown as they look to advance effective climate action. Project Drawdown resources for educators include the database of Drawdown Solutions, educational video series Climate Solutions 101, the Drawdown Stories initiative, and more.

Scientist Reviewed

This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.

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What Type of Chocolate is Best for Climate?

Synopsis

Teaching Materials

About the Partner Provider

Scientist Reviewed

Related Teaching Resources