The insect population in Germany has dropped drastically, which could affect plant diversity and food production. The WWF reports that Germany is one of the most vulnerable regions in Europe for biodiversity loss.
In Germany, a serious loss of biodiversity has hit insect populations especially hard, according to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). The consequences of reduced insect populations could range from loss of plant varieties to food shortages.
Günter Mitlacher of the WWF said their research found the number of insects in Germany decreased dramatically in the past few decades. "Everyone knows that bees pollinate apples, flowers, cherries, pears, strawberries and everything we like to eat in spring and summer," he said. "These would not be there without the insects."
"I remember as a child that I always had to scrape insects off of the windshield," Mitlacher said. "That isn't the case anymore, and it's because our landscape is totally polluted by pesticides, glyphosate and insecticides that kill these animals."
Germans in Bavaria rally to save the bees
Activists in the German state of Bavaria are hoping for a referendum on preserving the diversity of species. Over 10 percent of Bavarian voters have signed a petition — the minimum needed to move to the next step.
Image: picture-alliance/ZumaPress/S. Babbar
'Bee a hero'
A petition for a referendum on preserving the diversity of species — better known as the "save the bees" petition — has gathered the legally required 10 percent of all eligible voters in the southern German state of Bavaria, two days before the end of the official registration period. The petition is aiming to make amendments to the Bavarian Nature Conservation Act.
Image: picture-alliance/ZumaPress/S. Babbar
Protecting biodiversity
The referendum aims to permanently safeguard and develop the diversity of flora and fauna species, and conserve and improve their habitats in order to prevent further loss of biodiversity. The objective is make 20 percent of land bee-friendly by 2025 and 30 percent by 2030. It also calls for improved environmental education.
Image: picture-alliance/ZumaPress/S. Babbar
'Time to turn the tide'
The petition is backed by the Greens and the Ecological Democratic Party, as well as nature protection group LBV. Ludwig Hartmann, the Greens party leader for Bavaria, said people needed to keep signing the petition to send a clear signal to Markus Söder's Christian Social Union government: "It is time to turn the tide and set course for effective nature conservation in Bavaria," Hartmann said.
"The larger the turnout, the higher the pressure on Minister President Markus Söder to convert the demands of the people's petition for effective protection of species in Bavaria," said Agnes Becker, deputy chair of the Ecological Democratic Party in Bavaria.
Image: picture-alliance/ZumaPress/S. Babbar
Farmers upset
The president of the Bavarian Farmer Federation, Walter Heidl, accused the activists of dismissing farmers' efforts. Many Bavarian farmers participate in agricultural environmental programs. "What annoys the farmers is that what they are already doing is completely ignored," Heidl said.
Image: picture-alliance/ZumaPress/S. Babbar
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Germany particularly vulnerable
According to the WWF, Germany is particularly vulnerable to biodiversity loss, as culture and technology over the centuries have "extremely transformed" the landscape.
The WWF also said that only a small part of the land in Germany is capable of supporting a "rich natural heritage."
In 2018, Germany's Environmental Ministry introduced the Insect Protection Action Plan, which outlines measures including preventing pesticide use and maintaining a variety of plant species to promote the growth of insect populations. According to the Environment Ministry, almost 75% of all animal species in Germany are insects.
On Monday in Paris, the Intergovernmental Panel on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), a UN-affiliated body, released the Global Assessment report, which warned that a million plant, insect and animal species worldwide are at risk of extinction. It is the first such global biodiversity assessment published since 2005.
The report said that the use of pesticides, overfishing, agricultural production and unbridled growth of cities, combined with the ongoing effects of climate change, has resulted in an "unprecedented" threat to life on earth.
