It has been described as one of the Earth’s worst extinction phases since the decline of the dinosaurs. The mass die-off of pollinating insects has set alarm bells ringing in the scientific community. Parliament wants the EU to do more to protect them.

EU politics

farming sector

Environment

Parliament calls on EU to do more for pollinating Insects

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/4729365/N01-PUB-191210-POLL-EN.srt

These amateur insect-lovers have been busy studying

bug populations in Germany for more than 30 years.

And their fieldwork has confirmed something which is alarming

both amateur and professional scientists alike.

The entomologists from Krefeld observed a nearly 5-fold decline

in pollinating insects between 1994 and today.

Nearly 90 per cent of all flowering plants are pollinated by animals.

We must realise that 70 percent of wild bees

are at risk of extinction and are in extreme danger.

Yet it is these wild bees which, along with other insects,

carry out half of the pollination in Europe.

We cannot ignore this, we must take action

to protect wild bees and push it forward.

And it's the thousands of species of wild bees

and bear fruit, vegetables, nuts and cereals.

- one of the most important ones is intensified land use,

also the loss of structure in landscapes.

Parliament is calling on the EU to do more

to protect insects and their habitats via the EU Pollinators Initiative.

MEPs supported tighter restrictions on harmful pesticides

and are now calling on the Commission to do more.

It is a good intention, I wouldn't want to criticise it.

We need in particular to discuss the procedure for authorising pesticides.

Now is the time for the Commission to deliver.

Parliament will now examine the steps the EU needs to take

to protect Europe's biodiversity, economy and food security.