The population of pollinators such as bumblebees, wasps, and butterflies, the smallest farm workers, is in decline, and climate change is making it worse, posing a silent threat to global food security.

According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), 75% of global food crops depend on pollinating insects, contributing up to US$577 billion to the world economy annually.

Pollinators directly affect the cultivation and supply of fruits such as kiwi, pumpkins, apples, cocoa, and coffee beans as well as other essential sources of plant-based diets like soybeans and nuts that have been proven as less carbon-intensive alternatives to animal products.

What’s Happening to Pollinators?

A paper published in the CABI Reviews journal has found that climate change is the most prominent threat to pollinators. The research titled, ‘What are the main reasons for the worldwide decline in pollinator populations?’, suggests that the decline of pollinators affects biodiversity conservation, reduces crop yield, and threatens food security.

Research has shown a rapid and consistent decline in pollinator populations. Average butterfly populations have almost halved since 1991, and bee populations in particular face a steep decline. However, these studies offer limited insight due to a lack of consistent data in some regions, many of which are essential crop producers

Climate change is a major threat to pollinators with rising temperatures and increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events affecting their food sources and habitats, essential conditions on which pollinators depend for survival. Climate change also changes the timing and availability of flowering plants, leading to mismatches between pollinators and their food sources. 

A  study published in the journal Global Change Biology found that climate change could lead to a decline in the quality of nectar, which is the main food source for many pollinators. The study demonstrates that as temperatures rise, the sugar content of nectar decreases, making it less nutritious for pollinators. This leads to a decline in the health and reproductive success of pollinators, as well as a decline in the pollination of plants.

In its Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5C, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) shows that climate change directly contributes to the loss of insects’ habitats. Researchers also believe that the changes in water and temperature associated with climate change can lower the quantity and quality of resources available to pollinators, decreasing the survival of larvae or adults.

How Do We Stop This?

Cutting global emissions is key. According to Dr. Johanne Brunet, climate change has the most diverse negative impacts on pollinators and is the most difficult threat to control.

“However, its consequences threaten food security and world stability, thus, efforts to control it must be prioritized globally.”

According to the World Resource Institute, If we fail to achieve the most ambitious Paris Agreement goals of limiting global temperature rise to well below 1.5C and settle for a 2C pathway, the consequences will be significantly worse.

To celebrate the upcoming World Bee Day 2025, which falls on May 20, every year, from country-level to individual businesses, more concrete and transparent roadmaps to net zero should be emphasized.

Read Also: Bees at Risk of Extinction.