Ten policies for pollinators

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Dicks, L. V., Viana, B., Bommarco, R., Brosi, B., Arizmendi, M. d. C., Cunningham, S. A., Galetto, L., Hill, R., Lopes, A. V., Pires, C., Taki, H. and Potts, S. G. (2016) Ten policies for pollinators. Science, 354 (6315). pp. 975-976. ISSN 1095- 9203 doi: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aai9226 Available at http://centaur.reading.ac.uk/68266/

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OVERLINE Ten policies for pollinators What Governments can do to safeguard pollination services By Lynn V. Dicks1, Blandina Viana2, Riccardo Bommarco3, Berry Brosi4, María del Coro Arizmendi5, Saul A. Cunningham6, Leonardo Galetto7, Rosemary Hill8, Ariadna V. Lopes9, Carmen Pires10, Hisatomo Taki11, Simon G. Potts12 1 2 Earlier this year, the first global thematic as- tional pesticide regulation and control sys- highlighted in the UN Sustainable Develop- 3 sessment from the Intergovernmental Sci- tems, nor adhere to the International Code ment Goals and the CBD’s Strategic Plan for 4 ence-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Eco- of Conduct on Pesticide Management Biodiversity, which parties to the CBD are 5 system Services (IPBES) evaluated the state of (ICCPM), recently updated by the United Na- implementing in National Strategies and Ac- 6 knowledge about pollinators and pollination tions (UN) (8, 9). International pressure to tion Plans. This creates momentum and op- 7 (1,2). It confirmed evidence of large-scale wild raise pesticide regulatory standards across portunity for regulators to consider limiting 8 pollinator declines in North West Europe and the world should be a priority. This includes and better managing pollinator movement 9 North America, and identified data shortfalls consideration of sublethal and indirect ef- within and between countries. For example, 10 and an urgent need for monitoring elsewhere fects in risk assessment, and evaluating risks in 2015 the UK nature conservation agency, 11 in the world. With high level political com- to a range of pollinator species, not just the Natural England, amended its licensing re- 12 mitments to support pollinators in the US (3), honey bee Apis mellifera. gime so that use of non-native bumblebee 13 the UK (4) and France (5), encouragement A second opportunity is to capitalize on sub-species for pollination in glasshouses 14 from the Convention on Biological Diversity’s Integrated Pest Management (IPM), recog- was only permitted when the native sub- 15 (CBD) scientific advice body (6), and the issue nized in international policies such as the species was commercially unavailable. 16 on the agenda for next month’s Conference of ICCPM (9) and the European Union’s (EU) 17 the Parties of the CBD, we see a chance for Sustainable Use of Pesticides Directive (10). Sustainable farming 18 global-scale policy change. We extend beyond IPM combines pest control methods such as Agriculture is a major driver of pollina- 19 the IPBES report, which we helped to write, cultivation practices, biological pest control, tor declines, through land use change, inten- 20 and suggest 10 policies that governments and pest monitoring, with pesticides used sive practices such as tillage and agrochemi- 21 should seriously consider, to protect pollina- only when other strategies are insufficient cal use, and declines in traditional farming 22 tors and secure pollination services. Our sug- (11). IPM can decrease pesticide use and re- practices. Agriculture also provides oppor- 23 gestions are not the only available responses, duces risks to non-target organisms. tunities to support wild pollinators (1, 13). 24 but those we consider most likely to succeed, Thirdly, genetically modified (GM) crops We propose two complementary policy ob- 25 due to synergy with international policy objec- pose potential risks through poorly under- jectives: (i) promote ecological intensifica- 26 tives and strategies, or formulation of interna- stood sublethal and indirect effects (1). For tion of agriculture (15), and (ii) support di- 27 tional policy creating opportunity for change. example, GM herbicide-tolerant crops lead versified farming systems (16). 28 We make these suggestions as independent to increased herbicide use, reducing the Ecological intensification involves man- 29 scientists, not on behalf of IPBES. availability of flowers in the landscape, but aging ecological functions such as pollina- 30 consequences for pollinator abundance and tion and natural pest regulation as part of 31 Risk reduction diversity are unknown. GM crop risk as- highly productive agriculture. It can be as 32 Pesticides, the most heavily regulated of sessments in most countries do not capture profitable and productive as conventional 33 the interacting drivers of pollinator declines these effects. They evaluate only direct ef- approaches at a farm level, with up to 8% of 34 (7), pose risks through a combination of tox- fects of acute exposure to proteins ex- land out of production to provide habitats 35 icity and exposure, but uncertainty remains pressed in the GM plants, usually in terms of that support beneficial organisms (17). 36 about risk from indirect and sublethal ef- the dose that kills 50% of adults (LD50), and A major barrier to uptake of ecological 37 fects. Risk assessment and use regulation only for honey bees, not other pollinators. intensification is uncertainty about ecologi- 38 can reduce pesticide hazards at national International guidance to improve GM or- cal and agronomic outcomes. To tackle un- 39 scales (2), yet such regulation is uneven ganism risk assessment is being developed certainty, a promising option is to adjust 40 globally. Many countries do not have na- under the CBD’s Cartagena Protocol on Bi- crop insurance schemes to provide incen- 41 osafety (12), presenting an opportunity to tives such as lower premiums, or smaller 42 encourage inclusion of indirect and suble- loss thresholds, for farmers who take action 1University of East Anglia, NR4 7TL, UK. 2Universidade 43 Federal da Bahia, 40170-210, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. thal effects on a range of pollinator species. to promote pollinators. Insurance is a key 44 3Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 75007 Finally, there are substantial risks from element in ‘climate-smart agriculture’ (18), 4 45 Uppsala, Sweden. Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322 movement of managed pollinators around but has yet to be tested or adopted for more USA. 5Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 46 Tlalnepantla, Edo. México 54090. 6The Australian the world (1). Managed pollinators, includ- general agricultural sustainability. 47 National University, Canberra, 2601, ACT, Australia. ing newly domesticated species, offer op- Another barrier, lack of knowledge 48 7Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, CC 495, 5000, portunities to grow businesses and improve among farmers and agronomists, can be ad- Córdoba, Argentina. 8CSIRO Land and Water, James 49 Cook University, Cairns, Australia. 9Universidade Federal pollination services (13). Commercial bum- dressed by extension services. For example, 50 de Pernambuco, 50670-901, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil. ble bee trade has grown dramatically, lead- a national Farm Advisory System is obliga- 51 10Embrapa Recursos Genéticos e Biotecnologia, CEP ing to invasions of Bombus terrestris beyond tory for Member States under the EU’s 11 70770-917, Brasília, DF, Brazil. Forestry and Forest its native range and increasing the risk of Common Agricultural Policy. The extent to 52 Products Research Institute, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8687, 53 Japan. 12University of Reading, RG6 6AR, UK. Email: disease transfer to native wild bee popula- which these provide information relevant to 54 [email protected] tions, potentially including other bee species ecological management could be improved. (14). The issue of invasive species has been Diversified farming systems (including 55 56 57 58

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1 some organic farms, home gardens, agro- about the status of pollinators worldwide Technological Advice (SBSTTA), Twentieth meeting, Montreal, Canada, 25-30 April 2016, 2016). 2 forestry and mixed cropping and livestock and the effectiveness of measures to protect 7. D. Goulson, E. Nicholls, C. Botías, E. L. Rotheray, Sci- 3 systems) incorporate many pollinator- them (1). Evidence is largely limited to local- ence 347, 10.1126/science.1255957 (2015). 4 friendly practices such as flowering hedge- scale, short-term effects, and biased towards 8. G. Ekström, B. Ekbom, Outlooks on Pest Management 21, 125-131 (2010). 5 rows, habitat patchiness and intercropping Europe and North America. There is a need 9. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Health 6 (1). Support for these systems can be for long-term, widespread monitoring of Organisation (WHO), "The international code of con- 7 achieved through financial incentives, such pollinators and pollination services. Recent duct on pesticide management," (Food and Agriculture as European agri-environment schemes research funded by the UK Government as Organisation of the United Nations, 2014) 8 10. European Commission, "Directive 2009/128/EC of 9 (19), or market-based instruments such as part of the National Pollinator Strategy for the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 Oc- 10 certification schemes with a price premium, England (4) compared ways to achieve this tober 2009 establishing a framework for Community 11 both used to support organic farming. In at monitoring, with varying levels of profes- action to achieve the sustainable use of pesticides," (Official Journal of the European Union, 2009). 12 least sixty countries, these practices and sional and volunteer involvement (25). 11. G. Ekström, B. Ekbom, Critical Reviews in Plant Sci- 13 farming systems depend on indigenous and Although knowledge gaps and research ences, 30, 74–94 (2011) 14 local knowledge (2). To secure people’s abil- priorities have been identified (1), we sug- 12. Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), "Report of the ad hoc technical expert group on risk assessment 15 ity to pursue pollinator-friendly practices, gest funding research on how to improve and risk management," (Convention on Biological Di- 16 their tenures and rights to determine their agricultural yields in ecologically intensified, versity, UNEP/CBD/BS/RARM/AHTEG/2015/1/4, 30 17 agriculture policies (food sovereignty) must diversified and organic farming systems that November 2015, 2015). 13. M. J. F. Brown et al., PeerJ 4, e2249 (2016). 18 be recognized and strengthened (20). support pollinators. This underpins several 14. P. Graystock et al., Journal of Applied Ecology 50, 19 policies in our list. It also resonates with a 1207 (2013). 20 Biodiversity and ecosystem services global focus on improving food production 15. R. Bommarco, D. Kleijn, S. G. Potts, Trends in Ecology & Evolution 28, 230 (2013). 21 Policy interest in pollinators stems and food security, especially on small farms 16. C. Kremen, A. Iles, C. Bacon, Ecol. Soc. 17, 19 (2012). 22 largely from their role in food production (<2 ha), which represent over 80% of farms 17. R. F. Pywell et al., Proceedings of the Royal Society of 23 (2). Historically, the most widely-adopted and farmers, and 8-16 % of farmed land (2, London B: Biological Sciences 282, (2015). policy approaches for biodiversity conser- 26). 18. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), "Climate 24 Smart Agriculture sourcebook," (Food and Agriculture 25 vation have been to identify and protect To ensure that findings are considered Organisation of the United Nations, 2013). 26 threatened species, and create protected credible, salient and legitimate by agricul- 19. P. Batáry, L. V. Dicks, D. Kleijn, W. J. Sutherland, Con- 27 areas. These remain critical, but are not suf- tural communities, the research should pri- servation Biology 29, 1006 (2015). 20. C. Laroche Dupraz, A. Postolle, Food Policy 38, 115 28 ficient to maintain the substantial global oritize knowledge co-production and ex- (2013). 29 value of pollination services in agriculture, change between scientists, farmers, 21. D. Kleijn et al., Nat Commun 6, (2015). 30 for two reasons. First, the spatial separa- stakeholders and policy-makers. Such ap- 22. European Commission, "Green Infrastructure (GI) — Enhancing Europe’s Natural Capital," 31 tions between protected areas, and between proaches can be supported through national (COM/2013/0249 final, 2013). 32 protected areas and croplands, are usually and international research funding or insti- 23. A. Santangeli et al., Biological Conservation 197, 209- 33 large relative to daily movements of most tutional infrastructure. For example, the U.S. 214 (2016). 24. D. Senapathi et al., Current Opinion in Insect Science 34 pollinators. Second, although pollinator di- land grant agricultural colleges were estab- 12, 93-101 (2015). 35 versity is important, the bulk of crop polli- lished with a tripartite mission of teaching, 25. C. Carvell et al., "Design and testing of a National Pol- 36 nation is from relatively few common, research and extension. At least two have linator and Pollination Monitoring Framework. Final summary report to the Department for Environment, 37 widespread, rather than rare or threatened, dedicated pollination research centers, well Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), Scottish Government 38 species (21). For crop pollination, the policy connected with local farming industries. and Welsh Government: Project WC1101," (2016). 39 goal should be to secure a minimum level of 26. S. Fan, “Food policy in 2015-2016: Reshaping the REFERENCES AND NOTES appropriate habitat, with flower and nesting global food system for sustainable development” in 40 1. IPBES, "Summary for policymakers of the assessment 2016 Global Food Policy Report, International Food 41 resources, distributed throughout produc- report of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Plat- Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Ed. (International 42 tive landscapes at scales that individual pol- form on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services on polli- Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Washington, nators, pollination and food production," (Secretariat 43 linators can move between. This fits the def- D.C., 2016), chap. 1. of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on 44 inition of ‘green infrastructure’ identified by Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, Bonn, Germany, 10.1126/science.aai9226 45 the EU in 2013 (22). It requires a diverse 2016). 2. IPBES, "The assessment report of the Intergovernmen- 46 range of land managers, along with over- tal Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosys- Ten pollinator policies 47 view and coordination at regional scales. As tem Services on pollinators, pollination and food pro- 1. Raise pesticide regulatory standards 48 examples, small patches of habitat on public duction," (Bonn, Germany, 2016). 2. Promote integrated pest management (IPM) 3. The White House, "National strategy to promote the 3. Include indirect and sublethal effects in GM 49 lands might be conserved through regula- health of honey bees and other pollinators," (The crop risk assessments 50 tion, whereas protection or restoration of White House, Washington, Pollinator Health Task 4. Regulate movement of managed pollinators 51 habitat on private land might be achieved Force, 2015). 5. Develop incentives, such as insurance 4. Defra, "The National Pollinator Strategy: for bees and schemes, to help farmers benefit from ecosys- 52 through incentive payments (19), or by en- other pollinators in England," (Department for Envi- tem services instead of agrochemicals 53 couraging voluntary action (23). To con- ronment, Food and Rural Affairs, London, UK, 2014). 6. Recognize pollination as an agricultural input 54 serve wider pollinator diversity and func- 5. Ministère de l’Écologie du Développement Durable et in extension services 7. Support diversified farming systems tions not relevant to agriculture, this de l’Énergie, "Plan national d’actions « France Terre de 55 pollinisateurs » pour la préservation des abeilles et des 8. Conserve and restore “green infrastructure” 56 approach must be integrated within strate- insectes pollinisateurs sauvages," (Ministère de (a network of habitats that pollinators can move 57 gically planned habitat and species protec- l’Écologie du Développement Durable et de l’Énergie, between) in agricultural and urban landscapes 9. Develop long-term monitoring of pollinators 58 tion policies (21, 24). 2016;). 6. Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), "Implica- and pollination 59 tions of the IPBES assessment on pollinators, pollina- 10. Fund participatory research on improving Increasing knowledge tion and food production for the work of the Conven- yields in organic, diversified, and ecologically There are substantial knowledge gaps tion," (Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and intensified farming

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