Five years after the dramatic results of a Krefeld study on insect mortality, conservationists see no reason to give the all-clear. The situation has not improved, explained Peter Weißhuhn, project manager for insect protection at WWF Germany on Sunday. "More recent studies sometimes paint an even more dramatic picture." Drastic fewer pesticides are therefore needed in agriculture, by at least 50 percent by 2030. In addition, the promised phase-out of glyphosate by 2023 must come without exception. Overall, the conversion to sustainable and organic agriculture must progress more.

The controversial weed killer glyphosate is currently approved in the EU until December 15th. The pesticide is also suspected of causing cancer.

Five years ago, the Krefeld Entomological Association published a groundbreaking study on insect decline. During surveys in 63 German protected areas between 1989 and 2016, a decline of 76 percent (up to 82 percent in midsummer) in flying insect biomass was found. This triggered a broad debate about insect mortality in Germany.

Link to the Krefeld study