Billions of bees, butterflies, and beetles… are dying off, threatening ecological collapse. Toxic agricultural pesticides are among the key culprits, but now a European Citizen Initiative could get them phased out. One million signatures would force the EU to address our call, helping to save our bees from deadly pesticides.
The insect apocalypse keeps unfolding – silently, billions of bees, butterflies, and other extraordinary tiny creatures are dying off, and the consequences may soon be catastrophic for our crops and fragile ecosystems worldwide.
Agricultural pesticides are among the key culprits. But now the European Union is considering a proposal to cut pesticide use by 2030, which could then pave the way for a total phase-out across Europe in 15 years.
But first we must prevent the powerful chemical lobby from wrecking the plan. This is why we are joining an incredible coalition of environmental groups, farmers, beekeepers, and scientists to bring the 1 million citizen voices needed to ensure EU institutions address our demands.
It has worked before – Avaazers have used this tool to help put important issues from glyphosate to GMOs on the agenda of the European Commission and Parliament. Let’s do it again, and help save our bees and precious pollinators from deadly pesticides, and transform the future of farming. Recent studies suggest that more than 40% of insect species are declining, a third are endangered and overall have an extinction rate eight times faster than that of mammals, birds and reptiles! These include the bumblebees, butterflies, beetles and other beautiful pollinators that sustain much of our food supply and delicate ecosystems.
Protecting wildlife habitats remains a crucial part of the fight to stop the collapse of our insect populations, but it is equally important to tackle the flood of pesticides going into our fields, parks, and playgrounds – 2.5 million tons every year! There is mounting evidence that agricultural chemicals not only cause water and soil pollution, they are also deadly to bees and other pollinators.
Three years after Avaaz helped win a ban on bee-killing neonicotinoids, these dangerous poisons are still being allowed on our fields through controversial emergency authorisations.
But now we have a massive opportunity to push a new, pesticide-free agricultural model that allows nature and farmers to thrive in harmony. Key lawmakers are ready to confront the big pesticide companies, and fight for the most ambitious deal ever to transform our food and farming systems, but they need all our support.
If we win, we will be a step closer to saving our bees and pollinators from extinction, while helping small, sustainable farmers to flourish. Join now, and share with everyone. More than 800,000 EU citizens have already signed – let us help reach 1 million and force the EU to act on our call.
Avaazers care deeply about bees and biodiversity. Over 2 million of us are calling on world leaders to protect half our planet and stop the extinction crisis, and with over 5 million signatures, our call to save the bees is one of the biggest in Avaaz history. But we will not ultimately win these campaigns unless we transform the way we produce food. This is our chance to make sure the EU firmly moves towards a pesticide-free future.
Source: Avaaz (avaaz.org)
