Wild bees, butterflies, moths and beetles: small pollinators, major importance for Europe
Research |
Beyond the niche: pollinators as a cross-cutting EU issue
The White Paper “Towards pollinator stewardship in all policies” shows that policy incoherence and conflicting policy goals are major barriers to the protection and restoration of pollinator populations in Europe. “Pollinators such as bees are one vivid example of how functioning ecosystems are central to all areas of society in the face of global change. Biodiversity in such systems acts like a portfolio – as a form of insurance against crises,” explains Sara Leonhardt, Professor of Plant-Insect Interactions at TUM in Freising. Until now, pollinators have largely been treated as an issue for environmental or agricultural policy. The authors therefore advocate “pollinator stewardship”: a shared responsibility for pollinators, their habitats and the sustainable use of their benefits across all relevant EU policy domains.
Small animals, major impact
Pollinators do far more than secure agricultural yields. They contribute to food security, food quality, human health, ecosystem stability, economic resilience and functioning supply chains. This perspective aligns with the One Health approach of the TUM School of Life Sciences, which considers the health of humans, animals, plants, microorganisms, soils and the environment together.
“The diversity of pollinators is a critical pillar of our society,” says Prof. Dr. Sara Diana Leonhardt. “If we want to protect pollinators and their role in ecosystems, it is not enough to establish individual flower strips or regulate individual pesticides. We need to consider and make visible the political, economic and societal conditions, so that pollinators, like other important actors in our ecosystems, are considered in all decisions.”
Threatened from many sides
Europe is rich in wild pollinators, including wild bees, hoverflies, butterflies, moths and beetles. Many of these species occur exclusively or predominantly in Europe and some are severely threatened. Pressures include land-use change, unsustainable agricultural and forestry practices, pesticides, other chemical pollutants, climate change, light pollution, excessive nitrogen inputs and the loss of suitable habitats, food resources and nesting sites.
What the EU needs to do now
According to the authors, protecting pollinators and safeguarding their vital contribution to long-term food security requires a coordinated EU-wide approach involving science, policymaking, agriculture, the economy and society. The recommendations address not only individual pressures, but also the direct and indirect drivers of pollinator decline: pollinator protection should be measurably embedded in EU-level decision-making, knowledge about the importance, diversity and functions of pollinators should be strengthened in education and training, and pollinator populations should be monitored more effectively.
In addition, non-floral resources such as nesting sites and larval habitats should be given greater consideration, while risks from pesticides and other chemicals should be reduced and monitored after authorization. Effective pollinator protection requires incentives, accessible knowledge and a careful assessment of synergies and trade-offs between agriculture, the environment, the economy and society to protect pollinators, their diversity and their habitats.
Pollinator protection beyond Europe’s borders
The White Paper also makes clear that pollinator decline is a global challenge. European food systems and supply chains also depend on pollination-dependent crops outside Europe. Protecting pollinators therefore requires not only better coordinated European policy, but also internationally coordinated action.
Background
The White Paper is a joint contribution by the projects Butterfly, VALOR, PollinERA, WildPosh, AGRI4POL, ProPollSoil, RestPoll and Safeguard. ProPollSoil is coordinated by Sara Leonhardt. The White Paper synthesizes scientific evidence on pollinators, the threats they face and policy options, and formulates recommendations for a more coherent European Union policy approach to pollinator protection and restoration.
