Jakarta, Feb. 15 -- The rise in the price of chocolates around Valentine's Day is not just another newsworthy trend, but evidence of how the climate crisis is starting to impact seemingly everyday items.

The ordinary chocolate bar that is usually shared with love is now forcing us to look deeper into the problem of how a warming planet and increasing weather unpredictability have shaken the global cocoa supply chain.

Cocoa is a sensitive crop that requires ideal growing conditions. The area it is planted must be sufficiently moist and warm, but not excessively so. When temperatures rise slightly above certain limits or when rainfall becomes erratic, cocoa production can dramatically drop.

A recent report from the international charity ...