Around 100 randomly selected young Europeans have issued recommendations to the EU on how to reverse the decline of wild pollinating insects after a nine-month citizens’ assembly process concluded over the weekend.
The final session of the Young Citizens’ Assembly on Pollinators brought together participants aged 18 to 29, who discussed measures to protect insects such as bees, hoverflies and butterflies, the European Commission informed on Monday.
Their recommendations include reducing the use and toxicity of pesticides, protecting and restoring habitats for pollinators in both rural areas and cities, and shifting towards more pollinator-friendly farming.
The group also called for stronger monitoring and enforcement of existing environmental policies, increased funding for conservation, and initiatives intended to influence how land and biodiversity are managed.
Why pollinators matter
Pollinators – including solitary bees, bumblebees, hoverflies, butterflies, moths and other insects – play a role in ecosystems and food production, the Commission said.
Around four in five crops and wild flowering plants rely on pollinators, but their populations are declining due to pressures including land-use change, intensive agricultural management and pesticide use, environmental pollution, invasive species and climate change.
The participants spent months learning about the causes of pollinator decline and discussing possible solutions, including through exchanges with policymakers, experts, stakeholders and civil society representatives.
One proposal was to create a permanent Young Citizens Assembly on Biodiversity to involve more citizens in environmental governance at EU level.
The full set of recommendations is due to be published soon in the EU’s 23 official languages and then sent to “responsible actors across the society.”
