Politicians have suggested that not enough is being done to save insects and food pollinators in particular, after the House of Commons’ Science, Innovation and Technology Committee published the government’s response to its predecessor committee’s report on insect decline and food security and wrote to the government with further questions.
The response was sent by the previous government but was not published due to the election. In the response, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), agreed with the committee’s recommendation that long term monitoring of insects was crucial, and committed to building up its Pollinator Monitoring Scheme (PoMS). It also agreed with the committee that current species abundance and extinction risk indicators missed many insect groups that are crucial to the UK ecosystem.
Despite this, the government said that broadening these indicators to include insects and invertebrates – a legal requirement set out in the environment improvement plan – was ‘unachievable’ due to a lack of data. Their exclusion means that statutory targets to halt and reverse species extinction, set out in the Environment Improvement Plan, could be met even if entire groups of insects go extinct.
In its response, DEFRA agreed to consider the committee’s recommendation to speed up the regulation of new crop protection technologies, like biopesticides. However, it did not confirm when it would publish the long overdue National Action Plan of Sustainable Use of Pesticide.
Committee’s chair Chi Onwurah commented, “We’re pleased to see the government’s response to our predecessor committee’s report, and its acknowledgement of key recommendations. However, today I’m writing to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Steve Reed, to ask for more clarity on the government’s work in this area.
“Pollinators undoubtedly play a crucial role in food production, and the committee is pleased that the government agreed to expand its Pollinator Monitoring Scheme. However, while the department acknowledged that there were gaps in its species abundance and risk indicators, it stopped short of agreeing to fix these gaps, citing a lack of data.
“Insects and invertebrates are as crucial as pollinators in supporting natural and agricultural environments, and their numbers need to be monitored. If they’re not included in official metrics, statutory targets to halt and reverse species extinction could be met even if all the UK’s bees, wasps, ants and moths go extinct.
“I also look forward to receiving more information on how the government plans to achieve the UK’s commitment to halve the risk caused by pesticides by 2030 – including through its National Action Plan for Sustainable Use of Pesticides, which is now seven years overdue.”
Defra told journalists it was “working on publishing” the plan, but did not commit to including pesticide reduction targets.
A spokesperson for the charity Buglife said, “We welcome the government’s recognition that insects are in decline and that it threatens food security, but it is more urgent than ever that we understand and address the root causes.
“We urge the government to be more ambitious, by filling gaps in our knowledge beyond a small select group of species. Action must be taken without delay, applying the precautionary principle to address crucial neglected issues such as light pollution, habitat fragmentation and the widespread use of everyday chemicals to reduce their impact on invertebrates and wider wildlife
