Sales of pesticides in some countries increased from around 35,000 t of active ingredients per year in the years 1995 to 2005 to 44,000 t in 2013. There is currently no end in sight to this development. Among the serious negative effects of both glyphosate and the group of neonicotinoids, there is a crushing burden of proof in international scientific literature.
What these substances have in common is that they are widely effective and are widely used prophylactic in agriculture. Both are contrary to German and European plant protection law and have serious implications for biodiversity. The unbridled and increasing use of insecticides leads to a decline not only in many insect species, but also in a massive decline in the total insect biomass. This deprives insect-eating bird species and bats of their food base, threatens reproductive success and ultimately endangers their population. If you want to get rid of pests like fungus gnats cannabis, it is important to use organic pest controls.
Neonicotinoids: A thousand times more toxic than DDT
Neonicotinoids mainly damage pollen and thus the harvest of many fruit and cultivated plants. Lower observatories mean significant economic losses and reductions in ecosystem services. Neonicotinoids are also about a thousand times more toxic than DDT! The neurotoxic effect on bees has been proven several times – the animals simply starve to death due to disorientation.
But other insects are also affected, so it can be assumed that the dramatic decline in insect biomass of 70 to 80% since the end of the 1980s was largely caused by the application of pesticides in connection with large-scale land use intensives.
The diverse importance of beekeeping is also appreciated by politicians, with a prize for young people’s work in the field of beekeeping. We also need well-trained and motivated beekeepers in the future, who will ensure the outstanding ecological performance of bees for our country in the long term. It is precisely for this reason that the ban on the use of neonicotinoids must be permanently extended.
Glyphosate: Monsanto hides carcinogenic effect
The active substance glyphosate kills all leaf-bearing plants by its biochemical effect. This destroys food resources for herbivores in the land ecosystems. Food chains created in evolution are interrupted and eventually species extinction and biodiversity loss occur. According to the latest WHO publications, glyphosate is also suspected of being carcinogenic. We refer to a recent publication by American scientists who have analyzed previously classified data from Monsanto from the 1970s and 1980s. Apparently, Monsanto has known about the carcinogenic effects of glyphosate for 40 years and has falsified studies with significant evidence of tumors.
A major reason for the underestimated risks of pesticides to biodiversity is the very weak authorization procedures at EU level to date. For example, whole species groups such as amphibians are not taken into account in the risk assessment. Even less well known are the effects of pesticide cocktails on communities and on the ecosystem services they provide.
Support the LBV’s demands on the EU and Campact action
Important decisions are currently pending in Europe for some pesticide active substances: the extension of the authorization of the total herbicide glyphosate and the examination of the two-year ban on the use of neonicotinoids clothianidine, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam. Meanwhile, the European Parliament’s Committee on the Environment has rejected the planned extension of the authorization of glyphosate and called for an independent review into possible carcinogenic properties of glyphosate.
- Actively promote a move away from the current, extensive use of pesticides and to give specific concrete and strengthening the integrated plant protection (Section 3 PflSchG)
- To advocate a permanent extension of the existing ban on the use of the three neonicotinoids clothianidine, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam and to ban all neonicotinoids in the future
- Conduct an independent review of possible carcinogenic properties of glyphosate
- Significantly tighten the rules for the use of glyphosate by banning all propyhlaxe measures such as pre-harvest treatment or routine stubble treatment for weed control
- To set up and effectively implement a real pesticide reduction program with the aim of halving the amount of chemical-synthetic plant protection products and their environmental risk by 2020.
- For all future authorizations of pesticides, include not only direct but also indirect effects on the terrestrial and aquatic environment in the test criteria and risk assessments
- Provide more funding for research, advice and incentives for the use of non-chemical plant protection products and more resources for the promotion of organic farming
- Prevent the use of pesticides in state-owned farms and properties (including in the lease agreements), and
to immediately ban the sale of glyphosate and other particularly dangerous pesticides to private individuals in the DIY and internet sectors.