Written evidence submitted by The Wildlife Trusts (INS0027)

Science, Innovation & Technology Committee: Insect decline and UK food security inquiry

An introduction to The Wildlife Trusts

1. The Wildlife Trusts are a federation of 46 independent wildlife conservation charities covering the whole of the UK, Alderney and Isle of Man. Together, The Wildlife Trusts have more than 870,000 members, 38,000 volunteers and 3,000 staff. Wildlife Trusts steward some of the most special and complex areas for wildlife in the UK, Alderney and Isle of Man. Collectively we manage over 2,300 nature reserves, operate 123 visitor and education centres and own 29 working farms.

2. Our vision is of a thriving natural world, with our wildlife and natural habitats playing a valued role in addressing the climate and ecological emergencies and driving global change, with people inspired and empowered to take action for nature. We work on land and at sea, from rural communities to coastal towns and busy cities. We work in partnership to achieve a greater impact, for example through advising farmers and landowners on how to help nature on their land. We undertake research, we stand up for wildlife and wild places under threat, and we empower people to take action for nature and the climate in their lives - and to join us in calling for effective policies and legislation to help our natural world recover.

3. The Wildlife Trusts have decades of experience working with decision-makers, including the UK governments, and a wealth of expertise, experience and passion within our staff. We welcome this inquiry and are pleased to contribute written evidence. We have provided our answers to the questions below.

The current evidence base for insect abundance in the UK, and the gaps in scientific understanding that require further research

4. There is now a large and continuously growing evidence base showing concerning declines in insect abundances across the UK, Europe and worldwide. Numerous scientific studies have reported declines covering many different species and insect groups, including a seminal study published in 2017 showing a 75% decline in flying insects in protected areas in Germany[i], and a 2019 review that found more than 40% of the world’s insect species are in decline and a third are threatened with extinction[ii]. The situation in the UK mirrors this picture, with studies showing multiple groups facing significant declines including moths[iii], dragonflies[iv] and bees[v]. The recent 2022 Bugs Matter citizen science survey led by Kent Wildlife Trust and Buglife highlights this problem. This survey collected data on insect splats on car license plates, and showed that the number of UK flying insects has declined by 63.7% between 2004 – 2022[vi].

5. Despite the large number of studies reporting insect declines, there are also gaps in our understanding due to the insufficient monitoring of many insect species. Historically, data collection has focused on more charismatic species like bees, butterflies and moths, whilst others have largely been ignored. This includes many species that play vital roles in our native habitats or contribute to food production, including many soil-dwelling insects and invertebrates like beetles, springtails and earthworms. When these groups are looked at the evidence suggests similar concerning declines[vii], so it is vital that more monitoring is carried out to address these knowledge gaps and explore the knock-on impacts for food security.

The effects of pesticides, such as neonicotinoids or other agricultural control methods on insects including pollinators and their impact on UK food security

6. Pesticides and other agricultural chemicals have been found to have adverse effects on the populations of non-target insects. Pesticide use is thought to be one of the main drivers of the insect declines that are being witnessed across the globe, and is second only to habitat loss in terms of its importance[viii]. Many of the insects that are unintentionally affected by pesticides play important beneficial roles in the food system. For example, ivermectin is the most popular anthelminthic veterinary medicine that has widely been used to treat livestock in the UK, but it has also been found to have serious negative effects on the diversity and abundance of dung beetle communities[ix]. Dung beetles play a crucial role as ecosystem engineers in pastureland, and disruptions to their populations will have negative impacts on both soil health and the long-term food production of these areas.

7. Neonicotinoid pesticides, or ‘neonics’ for short, are another prime example of pesticides with unintended consequences that harm our insect populations. Neonicotinoid insecticides such as thiamethoxam, clothianidin and thiacloprid are some of the most widely used pesticides in the world, yet a wealth of scientific evidence has now been published showing the devastating impact that these pesticides have on bees and other pollinators. Neonics can have both lethal and sub-lethal effects on bees, and according to Professor Dave Goulson, a single teaspoon is enough to kill around 1.25 billion bees[x]. As well as killing bees outright, neonics can also have a range of non-lethal effects, and tiny doses can inhibit a honeybee’s ability to navigate back to the hive[xi] and reduce the reproductive rate of solitary bees. In fact, a recent study showed that even one sub-lethal exposure of a neonicotinoid insecticide had significant impacts on their ability to produce offspring in future years[xii].

8. These devastating impacts on pollinator populations led to neonicotinoids being banned in the UK and European Union in 2018. However, ‘emergency’ authorisations are still regularly granted to use these banned pesticides both across the EU and in the UK, and for the last few years the authorisation to use thiamethoxam-coated sugar beet seeds in the UK has highlighted this issue. In January this year, the neonicotinoid thiamethoxam was again approved for use on sugar beet grown in the UK, despite both the Expert Committee on Pesticides and the Health & Safety Executive advising against its use[xiii]. In the same month, a ruling by the European Court of Justice put an end to similar temporary exemptions to use neonicotinoids in the EU, but unfortunately the UK has not yet followed suit.

9. Continuing to use banned neonicotinoids (and other pesticides known to harm non-target insects) is incompatible with the international targets that the UK signed up to at COP15 in Montreal last year. In particular, target 7 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework states that the overall risk posed by pesticides and highly hazardous chemicals will be reduced by half by 2030[xiv]. To meet this target and stop the damaging impacts that neonicotinoids have on UK bee populations, it is vital that the Government puts an end to further emergency authorisations of neonicotinoids. Alongside neonicotinoids, limiting the environmental harms of other pesticides should also be a priority for Government. Setting ambitious pesticide reduction targets, ensuring we maintain the precautionary principle and robust pesticide regulations, and providing more guidance, funding and support for Integrated Pest Management (IPM) must be pushed higher up the agenda. Whilst the inclusion of the new Integrated Pest Management actions in the Sustainable Farming Incentive is very welcome, effectively reducing the damaging effects of pesticides on non-target insect populations will require a greater variety of more ambitious actions, and the establishment of a strong regulatory baseline with IPM at the centre.

Additional policy initiatives and solutions needed in the UK and internationally to reduce and reverse the trends in insect decline.

10. As well as the measures to tackle the impacts of pesticides and agricultural chemicals described above, reversing the decline of insects will require action to restore insect habitats across the UK. Around 70% of the total land area in the UK is used for agriculture, which is notable as habitat loss and conversion to intensive agriculture has been identified as one of the main drivers behind the observed insect declinesvii. Establishing more habitat for insects on our farms will not only help to boost our insect populations, but it would also benefit farmers through the additional pest control and pollination services that beneficial insects provide. But habitat creation with insects in mind should not just be limited to on-farm areas. To ensure that insects have enough of the habitat they require, the Government should ensure that they take meaningful action to meet their target to protect 30% of the UK’s land for nature by 2030. Doing so would establish vital insect habitats across the country, and provide a much-needed boost to their numbers.

11. As well as creating new insect habitats, it will also be important to ensure that these habitats are properly connected to enable insect populations to move between them. Many insect species have limited dispersal abilities, and they may find it difficult to establish populations in new areas without suitable connecting habitats to move through. The UK’s wildlife sites are generally too small and too isolated. To create an ecological network that operates more naturally and effectively, it is important to follow the principles Professor Sir John Lawton set out in his 2010 review, ‘Making space for nature’[xv], of more, bigger, better, and joined up wildlife sites. Many organisations are carrying out projects to try and join up habitats to support insect populations, including local Wildlife Trusts and the B-Lines project from Buglife[xvi]. But Government also need to recognise the importance of making sure that the UK has more habitats that are properly joined up, and take measures to truly establish an effective Nature Recovery Network. There is an excellent opportunity to do this with the incoming Land Use Framework, which should ensure that nature is a central consideration in future decisions on land use. It is also important that the Government ensures that the development of Local Nature Recovery Strategies are properly funded and the strategies are acted upon, so that local authorities and land managers can make effective, spatially-prioritised decisions that help to bring about nature’s recovery.

12. Finally, it is important that the Government invests in better monitoring and more research into UK insect populations, including those that play an important role in food security but have typically been overlooked. Alongside this, supporting better education that highlights the importance of insects and encourages people to view them as more than just ‘creepy crawlies’ could also help to turn the tide of insect declines. After all, bees alone contribute an estimated £651 million to the UK economy every year[xvii] through their contribution to food security, whilst ants, beetles and wasps provide valuable pest control services[xviii] that protect our harvests without the need for harmful chemicals. Giving them the recognition, appreciation and prioritisation they deserve could therefore go a long way to reversing insect declines and bolstering food security in the UK.

28 April 2023