A group of co-authors, specialists in pollinators, has just published a letter in Science (Simon-Delso at al. 2021). The letter is a call to European Ministers to act responsibly and reduce toxic risks to pollinators in pesticide assessments. For example, while the natural mortality of honeybees can reach up to 5%, the scientific community agrees on a maximum "acceptable" rate of 7% for a pesticide. To accept 10% is to take a risk that is far too high in view of the already catastrophic situation regarding the collapse of pollinators. Because of the crucial importance of such decisions for the planet and our future, the authors and publisher have chosen a more direct style than usual to get their message across.

Reference : Simon-Delso N, Aebi A, Arnold G, Bonmatin JM, Hatjina F, Medrzycki P & Sgolastra F (2021) Maximize EU pollinator protection: Minimize risk, Science, 373(5552), 290. DOI: 10.1126/science.abj8116