Almost one in ten wild bee species in the EU faces extinction, mainly due to intensifying agriculture, research funded by the European Commission shows. About 9.1% of wild bee species across the EU face extinction in the near future, while another 5.4% are likely to become threatened, according to a study by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Insufficient data means the extinction risk for over half of species is unknown.
The amount of farmland set aside to promote biodiversity under the Common Agriculture Policy – known as ecological focus areas – should be increased, the IUCN said in its policy recommendations. MEPs and governments significantly watered down the extent of these areas during negotiations on the 2014-20 CAP.
The IUCN also recommends the introduction of quantitative targets on reducing the total application of pesticides. Full implementation of the EU biodiversity strategy is also needed, it said.
Intensifying agriculture destroys and degrades wild bees’ habitats. Widespread use of pesticides and fertilisers reduces the availability of forage that wild bees need. Climate change is also threatening habitats.
Bees are worth around €22bn to the EU economy, with around 84% of crops grown for human consumption requiring pollination, including by wild bees, the IUCN said.
Its European Red List of Bees, the first assessment of all 1,965 European wild bee species, provides information on status, distribution, population trends, and threats.
Source: Envirocentre.ie – One in 10 EU Wild Bee Species Faces Extinction
