To Bee, or Not to Bee: A Commentary on International Neonicotinoid Regulation

Abstract

Amidst a time of dramatic climate change and exponential population growth, sustaining food production, and the pollinators essential to that production, has taken on increased importance. The current global system of industrial agriculture, however, relies on chemical pesticides, including neonicotinoids. A growing number of studies convincingly demonstrate that neonicotinoids are killing bees and their colonies. With bees and other pollinator populations in danger, an integral part of the world’s food system is at risk. This paper focuses on the dangers of neonicotinoid use and the need for international neonicotinoid regulation. The paper analyzes the emergence of neonicotinoids in the global agrochemical market, their negative impact on the health of pollinators, and the current legal regulations that govern neonicotinoid use. It recommends greater use of multilateral, international agreements to more comprehensively regulate neonicotinoids to protect bees and other pollinator populations. Other environmental treaties, such as the Montreal Protocol and the Stockholm Convention, provide accessible frameworks for cooperative regulation. If international communities act quickly, there may still be time to sufficiently protect pollinator populations from further catastrophic harm from neonicotinoid use. Bees and other pollinators are essential for global food production, and this paper provides a path forward for policy-makers and law-makers to better protect these species from the harms of neonicotinoids.