Considering the latest studies concerning systemic pesticides, especially those from the Task Force on Systemic Pesticides, which show that neonicotinoids have a serious impact on biodiversity (including bees and other pollinating insects, soil micro-fauna, earthworms, small mammals, birds and even the human nervous system, especially brain development).
Considering the fact that the economic contribution of bees and other pollinating insects is estimated at 153 billions € per year, ant that is plays a vital role in at least 35% of world food production, that earthworms play a crucial role in maintaining soil fertility, and that these chemicals have not helped to increase agricultural productivity.
Considering the need for European, but also global, agricultural systems to undergo an agro-ecological transition in order to radically diminish the use of chemicals while, in the meantime, restoring vitality and biodiversity in soils and their capacity to naturally trap carbon (because soils are the biggest carbon sink and scientists estimate that restoration of the natural abilities of soil to trap carbon at an annual rate of 4/1000 or 0.4% would compensate for global carbon emissions), given that productive, stable, rich-in-carbon soils are directly conducive to farms’ resilience in the face of climate change. The EGP demands the European commission to prolong the current bans on neonicotinoids and to immediately add thiacloprid, cypermethrin and deltamethrin to the list of banned neonics.
The EGP demands a total ban of neonicotinoid pesticides as soon as possible and urges the members of the European Parliament to vote in favour of such a ban
