Chocolate - food of the Gods - the basic facts

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Chocolate - what is it and where does it come from ?  In summary -

• chocolate is derived from the cocoa bean grown on the cocoa tree.
• the cocoa tree requires intense heat and moisture found in climates located around 20 degrees North and South of the Equator. Too much direct sunlight and wind however is detrimental hence a level of shade is also needed for the tree to thrive. This is usually achieved through the use of an umbrella tree or mother tree that is used to provide such cover (Note climate change with increased temperatures may well effect this essential human food luxury).
• there are two basic beans that are cultivated and from which various hybrids are derived: Criollos and Forasteros.
• Criollos are recognised for their concentrated flavour, are thinner skinned and grow predominantly in Java,Samoa, Venezuela, Sri Lanka and Madagascar.
• Forasteros are often used as a base bean mix, have less flavour, grow in thick walled pods and are mainly found in West Africa and Brazil. 
• Cocoa trees produce a waxy pinkish-white blossom which in turn produces pods. During harvesting the pods are cracked open to extract twenty to thirty seeds in a bed of white pulp. 
• A period of fermentation around slightly more than a week, is used to remove the bitter acid taste and the white pulp, followed by drying either through the natural sun or through large scale hot air blowers.
• the beans are then transported for commencement of the manufacturing process -in short order: careful roasting of beans, thence the nibbing machine (breaking the husk off to reveal the 'nib' or raw chocolate), grinding the nib to produce cocoa butter and the a brown powder which is pure cocoa. It is the pure cocoa powder which is the base of chocolate.
• the cocoa butter is then reintroduced in varying levels depending on the product being developed.  Cocoa butter is only used in small amounts for baking chocolate and larger amounts for chocolate for direct human consumption.

From this point onwards the chocolatiers have experimented to provide the many taste sensations which have made this one of the world's arguably most recognised cross cultural, cross border culinary experiences.

A rise of 3 Degrees Celsius - the impact on Australia

In March this year, the Australian Academy of Science issued a stark warning on the future of this country if global warming is not actively slowed and ultimately stopped. The Academy's report charts both proven existing impacts and the effects of modelled temperature increases. The situation could not be more starkly or clearly demonstrated by the findings of the Academy which included -

Temperature rising

• the total emission reduction current pledged by the Australian and international government through the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Paris Agreement, even if implemented on time will translate as an average global surface temperatures of 3 degrees Celsius (C) or more.
• the planet is well on its way to devastating climate change with average surface temperatures being at 1.1 degrees C above the pre-industrial period. Australia has had a worse outcome with warming on average by 1.4 degrees C.
• limiting climate change to 1.5 degrees Celsius in now virtually impossible.

Ecosystems

• land-based environments have been affected by drought, fire, extreme heatwaves, invasive species and disease, large scale mortality of trees, birds and tree-dwelling mammals
• rising sea levels are amplifying storm impacts damaging coastal ecosystems such as coral reefs and mangrove forests.

Australian agriculture, forestry, fisheries and food security

• reduced water availability and heat stress have contributed to reductions in profitability for broadacre crops such as wheat and barley in the magnitude of up to 22% since 2000.
• heat stress is a significant issue for livestock systems due to impacts on animal welfare, reproduction and production. Projected temperature and humidity changes suggest an increased number of heat stress days per year. 
• forestry is facing growing pressure from a warming and drying climate with increased fire risks, changes in rainfall patterns and species-specific pest impacts.

Australian cities and towns

• with close to 90% of Australians living in cities and towns, climate change experience will be manifested in various ways. 
• extreme heat wave conditions, bushfires and storms already place pressure on power stations and infrastructure while simultaneously increasing demand for energy supply for air conditioning.
• global sea level rises are already occuring and pose a severe risk to properties infrastructure and ecosystems with coastal flooding becoming a more regular feature. 160,000 to 250,000 coastal properties will be at risk with a rise of 1 metre in sea levels. 
• climate sensitive infectious diseases such as Ross River fever and other vector borne diseases shift their geographical distribution and intensity of transmission. This will only increase as climate change increases to above 2 degrees C.

The Academy's report provides sober reading and a reality check for those who believe that its only a question of avoiding a 1.5C temperature impact to avoid climate change. The climate crisis has already commenced - the only viable objective is to prevent it becoming worse.

The full report can be accessed at: Risks to Australia: three degrees Celsius

COP26 Glasgow - ongoing optimism but what's the reality ?

The 26th Meeting of the UN Climate Change Council of the Parties (COP) Conference will be held in Glasgow, Scotland between the 31st October to the 12 November 2021. Co-hosted with Italy, this COP was delayed due to COVID-19. The Conference brings together world leaders and negotiators to monitor progress against the existing Paris Agreement and seek a common way forward with reducing the threat caused by climate change. But how effective will COP26 be, compared to the previous conferences ?

COP26 has 4 stated primary objectives -

1. Secure global net zero by mid-century and keep 1.5 degrees within reach
2. Adapt to protect communities and natural habitats
3. Mobilise finance
4. Work together to deliver

Participating countries have been asked to bring forward ambitious 2030 emission targets that align with reaching net zero by around 2050. To reach this outcome, countries are being asked to accelerate the phase out of coal, curtail deforestation, speed up the switch to electric vehicles and encourage investment in renewables. While these are all essential steps to take, several countries will still need time to manage the transition particularly ending reliance on coal and  switching to electric vehicles.

Australia regretably lags well behind on almost all of these actions with the exception of investment in renewable energy generation that has increased over the past few years. Electric vehicle promotion has been largely managed by private organisations rather than government and remains woefully inadequate.

The Conference is also seeking to take steps to enable the protection and restoration of ecosystems affected by climate change; build defences, warning systems; and resilient infrastructure and agriculture. These are tall orders for mitigating the effects of the very drastic weather events now taking place across many parts of the planet. Agriculture, for example, may need to adapt with new food crops such as ancient grains in order to be sustainable.

Developed countries are expected to make good on their promise to mobilise at least $100bn in climate finance per year by 2020. It will be interesting to see if this has occured with the impact of COVID-19 still affecting many parts of the world including the developed countries. COP26 is also seeking to finalise the Paris Rulebook that provides the detailed requirements to make the Paris Agreement operational.

Lofty ideals and good intentions. COP26 has the right messages but with the evidence building that a 1.5C increase in temperature is now inevitable, the actions will need to be faster than the rhetoric.

Link to the website: COP26 Glasgow

The Archibald Prize for portrait painting - 100 years and still going strong

2021 Winner: Guy Warren at 100 painted by Peter Wegner

The perennial public favourite in the visual arts, the Archibald Prize for portrait painting has opened at the Art Gallery Of NSW with the prize itself reaching its 100 year milestone. This year some 52 paintings were selected as finalists from the 938 entries. The 'Árchies' as they are affectionately known, are always perceived as a bit of entertainment as much from seeing which artists are selected to be exhibited as to whom they chose to be the sitters and subjects of their work.

The somewhat sentimental winner is a portrait by Peter Wegner of Guy Warren who turned 100 this year in a coincidental symmetry with the anniversary of the prize. Warren won the 1985 Archibald prize for his portrait of artist/sculptor Bert Flugelman and has been featured seven times in the Archibald exhibition.

This year there are a number of first time finalists as well as many established names such as Kate Beynon, Natasha Bieniek, Jun Chen, Lucy Culliton, Tsering Hannaford, Richard Lewer, Fiona Lowry, Mathew Lynn, Euan Macleod, Thom Roberts, William Mackinnon and Nick Stathopoulos.

The subjects chosen are varied with portraits of artists such as Gareth Sansom, Joe Furlonger and Del Kathryn Barton; art dealers and collectors such as Stuart Purves and Liz Laverty and a smattering of public figures such as COVID public health professional, Professor Raina Macintyre, NSW Governor Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC QC, journalist Kerrie O'Brien, Australian of the Year Grace Tame, actor Rachel Griffiths to name a few. Portraits of politicians are largely absent.

Along with the Archibald Prize there is also the Wynne Prize for landscape painting or figurative sculpture. This year the finalists include a strong presence of indigenous artists reflecting their increasing engagement for this prize in particular, which resonates with their connection to the Australian landscape.  This year's entries maintain their use of large canvasses with vivid colours capturing either a mix of myths from country or direct representation of fauna or features of the land.

The Archibald, Wynne and Sulman prize exhibitions run from 5 June to 26 September 2021 at the Art Gallery of NSW