Europe's Wild Bee Species Are Dying Out — And Scientists Warn Time Is Running Out

Europe's Wild Bee Species Are Dying Out — And Scientists Warn Time Is Running Out

A new study finds most of Europe's wild bee species have declined over the past century, while countries meet at COP17 with not a single nature target met.

· 2 min read ·
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Most of Europe's wild bee species and about half of its hover fly species have declined over the last century, researchers warn, as governments gather for a major United Nations biodiversity summit — where countries have so far failed to meet a single target.

The study, released as the UN biodiversity summit COP17 opens in Armenia, examined records dating back to 1921. Researchers found that in every part of Europe except the Alpine region, more bee species are declining than increasing. The number of bee and hover fly species fell steadily in the Atlantic and Continental regions, while trends elsewhere were mixed or even positive [1].

Wild bees and hover flies are key pollinators. Their decline threatens food production and healthy ecosystems across the continent, and researchers describe the summit as a "crucial opportunity to act" [1].

The meeting comes four years after countries signed a historic deal to save nature. So far, not a single target has been met, and pressure is mounting on negotiators to honor those promises [2]. The stakes are visible in Britain's chalk rivers — one of Earth's rarest habitats. In August, more than 3,000 fish were found dead along the River Wensum in Norwich, starved of oxygen by heatwave conditions, with investigators believing heavy rainfall flushed high concentrations of pollution into the water while wildlife were already struggling [2]. The 45-mile (70km) chalk river is one of about 250 in the country, yet just 11 have formal protection, and many are damaged by sewage pollution and overextraction [2].

Scientists warn that nature is disappearing at an alarming rate, and this loss of biodiversity — the variety of all living things on Earth — poses a serious threat to human survival. Biodiversity includes every plant, animal and microorganism, along with the ecosystems they form, providing clean air, fresh water and food. When one species disappears, it can weaken the entire ecosystem, affecting food chains and the natural services people depend on [3].

Protecting biodiversity is not just about saving wildlife, experts say — it is about securing a stable future for everyone [3].

Sources

Europe's wild bees are dying out — and scientists say time is running out #266142Nature Pact in Peril: Zero Targets Met as COP17 Opens #266133Nature's Silent Crisis: Why Biodiversity Loss Threatens Us All #263169

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