New research reveals that climate change is threatening the future of the world’s most consumed fruit—bananas.
By 2080, nearly two-thirds of banana-growing areas in Latin America and the Caribbean could become unsuitable for cultivation due to rising temperatures, extreme weather events, and climate-induced pests, according to Christian Aid’s new report Going Bananas: How Climate Change Threatens the World’s Favourite Fruit.
Bananas, the fourth most important food crop globally after wheat, rice, and maize, are vital to both local economies and global food security. Around 80% of the bananas grown worldwide are consumed locally, providing 15% to 27% of daily caloric intake for over 400 million people. Meanwhile, roughly 80% of banana exports—which stock supermarket shelves globally—originate from Latin America and the Caribbean, a region highly vulnerable to climate-related disasters.
Despite contributing little to the greenhouse gas emissions driving global warming, many banana-producing countries such as Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Colombia are suffering severe consequences. Declining yields are already disrupting rural livelihoods, and worsening climate conditions are expected to intensify this impact.
“Climate change has been killing our crops. This means there is no income because we cannot sell anything. What is happening is that my plantation has been dying. So, what has been happening is death,” Aurelia Pop Xo, 53, a banana grower in Guatemala, told Christian Aid researchers.
Bananas, especially the cavendish variety which dominates exports, are particularly climate-sensitive. They thrive within a narrow temperature range of 15°C to 35°C and require carefully balanced water levels. Excess rainfall or drought, coupled with stronger storms, can impair the plant’s ability to photosynthesise by damaging its leaves.
Compounding the problem is the cavendish banana’s genetic uniformity. Chosen for its durability and yield, its lack of diversity makes it highly vulnerable to diseases, many of which are worsened by changing climate conditions. Black leaf fungus, for example, can reduce photosynthesis by 80% and flourishes in wet weather.
Another major threat is fusarium tropical race 4—a soil-borne fungus that’s wreaking havoc on cavendish plantations worldwide, with rising temperatures and shifting rainfall patterns accelerating its spread.
Christian Aid is urging wealthy, high-emitting nations to step up. The organisation calls for a swift transition from fossil fuels and for fulfilment of climate finance commitments to help vulnerable communities adapt to the escalating crisis. Without immediate action, the world could lose not just a beloved fruit, but also a critical food source and the livelihoods of millions who depend on it.
“Bananas are not just the world’s favourite fruit, they are also an essential food for millions of people. We need to wake up to the danger posed by climate change to this vital crop,” said Osai Ojigho, Christian Aid’s director of policy and campaigns. “The lives and livelihoods of people who have done nothing to cause the climate crisis are already under threat.”
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