Saving the Bees: The EU has come up with a comprehensive Plan to Revive Pollinators

Bees and other pollinators are essential for crop production, yet their numbers are declining at an alarming rate. To reverse this trend, the European Union has recently released a seven-year plan. This plan includes measures such as creating buzz lines, or routes, across Europe where pollinators can move freely and find food and shelter. It also focuses on reducing land use changes, pesticides, pollution, invasive species, and climate change that are all known threats to pollinator populations. The EU is also monitoring emergency authorizations granted for dangerous pesticides, and prohibiting their use where not authorized. For example, France has dropped plans to allow the use of a prohibited pesticide on sugar beets due to its risks to bees. In addition to these measures, the EU is also looking at improving public awareness of pollinator decline and restricting the use of three neonicotinoid pesticides that would otherwise be harmful to them. A review of current measures revealed that more needed to be done to reverse the pollinator population decline. By 2030, all EU member states will be required to implement measures to reverse the pollinator decline, as mandated by the EU’s Nature Restoration Law. This seven-year plan is essential for saving our pollinators and ensuring our crops and wildflowers continue to thrive for future generations.