When farmlands fall quiet
Pesticides don’t just kill pests. They spread through soil and water, harm birds, pollinators, and other wildlife, and ultimately affect our health too.
In the last 40 years, we have lost over 60% of farmland birds, mainly because of intensive agriculture and the overuse of pesticides. Birds can be directly poisoned by pesticides, but the impacts go much further. Widespread pesticide use reduces their food sources, disrupts their breeding, and affects their migration.
The EU’s Pesticide Regulation is designed to protect people and nature by ensuring that pesticides are strictly tested, regularly reviewed, and restricted when they are found to be harmful. Its main goal is to reduce the risks and negative effects of pesticides and encourage safer alternatives.
But now the European Commission is proposing to weaken this law, pushed by powerful industry groups. The proposed changes could allow harmful pesticides to stay on the market for longer and lead to a higher exposure for people and the environment.
It is now up to Members of the European Parliament and national governments to reject this dangerous rollback. Sign our petition now!
Infographic by Yuyarikanu Films
Written by Caroline Herman
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Stichting BirdLife Europe gratefully acknowledges financial support from the European Commission. All content and opinions expressed on these pages are solely those of Stichting BirdLife Europe. The European Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains. |
