Protection of Pollinators: A Policy Cycle Analysis

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Protection of Pollinators: A Policy Cycle Analysis
Fatma Bircan
Department of Rural Development Theory and Policy
University of Hohenheim
December 2024
1. Introduction
The purpose of this research is to examine the pollinator conservation efforts in the EU
(European Union) from a policy evolution standpoint. The disappearance of managed bees
sparked a widespread citizen initiative in the EU at the turn of the millennium, which led to
Bee Week in Brussels (see below). As public awareness of the issue grew, the focus shifted to
research and scientific publications indicating a massive pollinator decline across the EU. In
addition to scientific research, country-level projects to track, measure, and assess the degree
of pollinator decline started burgeoning (European Commission, 2018a). These projects certainly
indicated that the issue did not only affect the bee population1, but also broader groups of insect
pollinators (European Commission, 2018b). Action plans at the EU level began to be developed
and brought to the attention of relevant EU authorities concurrently with the acceleration of
programs aimed at pollinator conservation and scientific studies.
This research contextualizes the pollinator protection efforts by tracing progress in two
dimensions across time. The first component is concerned with projects and major scientific
publications, while the second is concerned with the EU-level action plans and policy
proposals. This approach is pertinent to my purpose since policies addressing pollinator decline
must rely on monitoring and knowledge accumulation through science and practical projects.
Rather than a systematic review, the research is based on an insightful analysis of the relevant
literature. It will present a descriptive analysis of the projects, important scientific studies, and
documents pertaining to policy formation efforts over a timeline. The primary research
instrument and data source is articles, papers, project documents, and EU policy documents.
2. The Importance of Pollinators and Pollinator Decline
Many wildflowers and food crops depend on pollinators for fertilization. Approximately 75
percent of food crops and 90 percent of wild flowering plants require animal pollination to
some degree (IPBES, 2016); (Ollerton, Winfree, & Tarrant, 2011). Other sources reportedly
approximate these figures. For over 80 percent of crops and wildflowers, pollinators are
essential (European Commission, 2018; European Commission, 2021; USDA, 2021). S.
Christmann (2019) highlights their role in reproduction, referring to them “as a factor of
1 Contrary to popular belief, bees make up a very small portion of pollination insects. Only 2% of the world's
wild bee species are responsible for 80% of the pollination of crops, according to the IPBES analysis (p. 23, IPBES
2016).

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production” (p.1, Christmann, 2019). Thus, they constitute an integral segment of the food
production chain and lack thereof could pose serious threats to food security and instigate
“poverty spirals” (Christmann, 2019). Furthermore, most pollinator insects serve as a significant
source of food for other animals, such as birds and reptiles (Hallmann et al., 2017), which further
qualifies them as an intermediate production factor. Birds, for instance, ingest 400–500 million
tons of insects annually (Nyffeler et al., 2018).
Nonetheless, pollinating insect populations are in severe decline across Europe. In 63 German
environmental protection zones, Hallman et al. (2017) found a 76 percent reduction in insect
biomass during a 27-year period. In two regions of the Netherlands, dramatic decreases in
insect biomass are also indicated by Hallmann et al., 2020. Between 1997 and 2017, they note
declines in the biomasses of macro-moths and ground beetles of 61 and 42 percent,
respectively. Møller ( 2019) added data for Denmark to this group of studies, revealing an 80%
decrease in insect biomass. Between 2004 and 2021, the abundance of flying insects in the
United Kingdom is estimated to have decreased by about 60 percent (Ball et al., 2022).
Moreover, Biesmeijer et al. (2006) present evidence from the UK and the Netherlands
demonstrating a concurrent drop in pollinator-reliant plants and insects.
The detrimental impacts of pollinator decline are not limited to food security (for both humans
and insectivore animals) and ecological degradation. The Intergovernmental Science-Policy
Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) Report, which is the organization's
first global pollinator study, highlights the importance of pollinators to human life, ranging
from medicine and biofuels to artistic and spiritual activities.
Pollinator decline is caused by a variety of factors. Major factors include land use, intensive
agriculture and pesticide use, environmental degradation, invasive alien species, diseases, and
climate change (European Commission, 2018a,b; IPBES, 2016). On the other hand, the primary
cause of the decline in pollinating insects appears to be modern agriculture, which is what most
of these factors come down to. Many pollinator species have become extinct as a result of land
fragmentation and yield-increasing agricultural technologies such as pesticide use, extensive
tillage, and mowing (European Commission, 2018a; IPBES, 2016; IPBES, 2019). Recently, climate
change has been identified as another significant factor in the decrease (European Commission,
2018a,b; IPBES, 2016; IPBES, 2019). Pollinators are also harmed by streetlights, nuclear power
plants, and electromagnetic radiation, albeit to a lesser extent (European Commission, 2018a).
Pollinator species' decline and extinction consequently reduce agricultural output, stability,
and quality (IPBES, 2016; IPBES, 2019).
3. Review of Research and the EU Level Action Plans
In some regions of Europe, the causes of the decline in pollinators were clearly documented,
but their continental extent has not been determined (IPBES, 2016; European Commission
2018b). Most insect species that pollinate crops and wildflowers are unknown, despite the clear
simultaneous reduction in their functions (IPBES, 2016; European Commission, 2018b). As a
result, the European Union recognized the need for larger-scale projects to assess the scope

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and the causes of pollinator decline, as well as the risks associated with pollinator loss. The
following is a brief account of such projects and research.
I. A Timeline of Important Projects and Scientific Reports
1. The ALARM Project (2004-2009)
The ALARM project (Assessing Large-scale Environmental Hazards to Biodiversity using
Tested Methods) laid the foundation for tracking pollinators, estimating their losses, and
identifying significant risks (ALRM 2004-2009).
2. The STEP Project (2010-2015)
The initiative was started as a follow-up to the ALARM initiative. It also investigated the
magnitude and potential causes of pollinator loss. It assessed the economic impact of the
decline in agricultural output and quality as well (STEP 2010-2015).
3. European Red List of Bees (2014)
The European Red List catalogs species throughout Europe in accordance with IUCN
(International Union for Conservation of Nature) standards. The pollinator species was added
to the list in 2014, and the same year a report was also released (Nieto, A., Roberts, S.P.M. et al.,
2014). It serves as a crucial instrument for giving information on the condition and patterns of
pollinators in Europe.
4. IPBES Report (2016)
This is the first worldwide pollinator research issued by Intergovernmental Science-Policy
Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). It is an extensive study
examining 3000 papers on the subject in order to assess pollinators, their functions, and
their role mainly in food production and other areas (see above).
II. Policy Actions and Initiatives at the EU Level: Timeline
1. Public Attention on Honeybees
Slovenia was the first nation in Europe to notice that its honeybee population was
declining and to report the problem. Neonicotinoids pesticides, a group of insecticides
that resemble nicotine, were thought to be the cause. In 2011, Slovenia's Ministry of
Agriculture forbade the use of neonicotinoids (Godin, 2020). Soon after, the issue
became widely known, sparking citizen initiatives in nations like Germany, England,
and the Netherlands. Open gatherings of citizens in these countries to raise awareness
led to "the European Bee and Pollination Week", which has been hosted annually in the
European Parliament in Brussels since 2012. The goal is to disseminate the
scientifically supported approach to protect pollinators in the EU. (Bee Week).
2. General EU Policies that Benefit Pollinators
Despite not specifically targeting pollinator conservation, there are several health and
environmental policies in the EU that indirectly support pollinators by preserving their

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surroundings and lowering risk factors. The cohesion and innovation policies within the
CAP framework are the two most relevant EU-wide policies in this regard. The Birds
and Habitats Directives, as well as EU Pesticide Laws, are simply amendable to
specifically target pollinator conservation (European Commission, 2018b).
The Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 laid the ground to protect biodiversity and the
benefits it offers to plants and people. It was supported by all parties to the Convention on
Biological Diversity (CBD) (Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020). It also endorsed the
Aichi Biodiversity Targets, a set of 20 ambitious but attainable targets (Aichi Biodiversity
Targets).
The Strategy focuses on four action plans that are especially beneficial to pollinators:
implementation of the Birds Directive and Habitats Directive in their entirety, ecosystem
preservation and restoration, including using green infrastructure, including biodiversity in
agricultural policies, and battling invasive alien species (p. 16, European Commission, 2018b).
Pollinators in agricultural areas benefit from CAP (Common Agricultural Policy) rules. Cross-
compliance with environmental targets, for example, aids in the creation of suitable habitats
for pollinator species. National direct subsidies tied to greening practices such as the
preservation of permanent grasslands and ecological focal areas are especially important for
improving pollinator habitats (European Commission, 2018b).
The EU Pesticide Legislation regulates the pesticide approval process, ensuring that pesticides
pose no risk to the environment or pollinators.
3. EU Pollinators Initiative
The European Commission launched the first initiative in June 2018. Initiative set three main
goals: i) increase and broaden knowledge base on pollinators and their plight, i.e., the extent
of decline, its diversity, and improved monitoring of pollinators ii) developing policies and
measures to prevent pollinator decline iii) integrating policies and measures to tackle with
pollinator decline into larger EU policies and bring it high in the public agenda.
The initiative first focused on the improvement and better implementation of existing
pollinator related policies. The Birds and Habitats Directives along with the EU Legislation on
pesticides were the two policy elements that could be used effectively to conserve pollinators.
Furthermore, the CAP`s cohesion policy and research and innovation policies were relevant
and could be improved to effectively prevent pollinator decline and regrow them (European
Commission, 2018b; European Habitats Forum, 2022).
i) Implementation
In July 2020 the European Court of Auditors issued a Special Report titled “Protection of wild
pollinators in the EU — Commission initiatives have not borne fruit” (ECA Report, 2020). As
was clear from the paper's title, the report concluded that the EU Pollinator Initiative had not
achieved the desired goals. The auditors identified three significant flaws in the action plans.
First, the protection of wild pollinators was not included in the major EU (CPA and
Biodiversity Strategic Plans) policies. Second, the Initiative did not address governance and

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control problems and lacked specific measures. Third, the country-level issues with the
application of the pesticide legislation were not adequately addressed (ECA Report, 2020).
The European Commission evaluated the initiative's progress in a report issued in May 2021
(European Commission, 2021). The pollinator initiative was successful in creating pollinator
monitoring programs and incorporating them into specific EU policies, according to the
progress report. However, despite being directly addressed in the initiative, intensive
agriculture, specifically the use of pesticides, continues to be the primary cause of the issue.
There is a need for quick action on this front, the report draws attention.
In order to establish sound environmental policies, pollinator conservation measures must be
more explicitly incorporated into long-term EU policies, particularly the EU biodiversity
strategy, the farm-to-fork strategy, and zero pollution plans (p.16, European Commission,
2021).
ii) Modification-Feedback loops
The European Commission took all these criticisms into account and launched an "open public
consultation" to revise the EU pollinators initiative (Interreg EU, 2022). The goal was to collect
feedback from anyone who was interested in the subject. The deadline for public consultation
was June 9, 2022. The Safeguard Project Consortium of Institute for European Environmental
Policy (IEEP) and the European Habitats Forum responded to the open consultation by issuing
two position submissions (European Habitats Forum, 2022; IEEP, 2022).
4. Conclusion
Despite its importance in terms of biodiversity and food security, the first real EU-level action
plans for pollinator conservation began in 2018. The first EU Pollinator initiative succeeded in
monitoring and knowledge accumulation fronts. It also raised awareness across the political
spectrum, paving the way for more rigorous integration of pollinator protection measures into
larger scale EU and CAP policies. However, the fact that it was not even able to ensure that
the European Pesticide Legislation was implemented consistently throughout all the member
states still causes a great deal of frustration. Identifying dangerous agrichemicals to a range of
wild pollinators still presents significant hurdles. Moreover, the solutions integrated into the
CAP coherence and innovation policies and the long-term goals toward ecological farming and
biodiverse land use management might be too costly for the rest of the world, let alone many
EU member states (Christmann, 2019).

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