Since the 17th century, Grasse, within the French Riviera, has been known worldwide for its fragrant fields. Today, the small town produces flowers for some of the world's largest luxury brands, such as Dior and Chanel, which spend significant sums on raw materials in the region – Grasse jasmine is sold at a higher price than gold, for example. But climate change is threatening this tradition.

Extreme weather patterns, such as droughts, heat waves and excessive rainfall, are making growing flowers increasingly difficult. Last summer, Grasse faced extreme droughts, causing some producers to lose nearly half of the harvest. Producer Biancalana told The Guardian that she directly felt the impacts and her tuberous harvest fell 40% last season. "The older ones here keep telling us that there are no more seasons," biancalana says, noting that winters are now warmer and that there are cold periods out of season in spring.

But it's not just Grasse who has been suffering from the effects of a world in climate crisis. Across the planet, raw materials for perfumes are threatened by increasingly extreme standards. Vanilla, an essential material for industry and grown mainly on the African continent, has had plantations hit by heat waves in recent years. In 2017, a cyclone in Madagascar destroyed 30% of the crop, bringing the price to more than $600 a kilo.

For Benoit Verdier, co-founder of the ex Nihilo Paris custom perfume house, the output seems to point to synthetic materials. Although they have not yet increased the price of their perfumes, the rising costs of raw materials may force them to do so and as a result, they are considering turning to laboratory-produced alternatives. "The romantic view of perfume is that it is natural. There's mysticism around a place like Grasse, it makes people dream. But it's not always more sustainable," he says.

Producers in Grasse disagree. "We actually consume very little water," biancalana says, noting that producers in the region use drip irrigation and have made significant efforts to ensure that their crops are environmentally friendly. In 2006, Biancalana founded Les Fleurs d'Exception du Pays de Grasse, an association that brings together producers and seeks to migrate everyone to organic agriculture to ensure the protection of biodiversity, which they believe is one of their biggest weapons against climate change. "What can we do, how can we adapt, who we should ask for support, what research do we need to do?" says Armelle Janody, president of the association. "Those are the questions we're asking."

Source: Um só Planeta