Restoring Nature in Europe Starts with Reducing Pesticides

Europe cannot restore nature without reducing pesticide use.

Scientific evidence shows that chemical pesticides are a major driver of biodiversity loss, ecosystem degradation, and health risks. Integrating pesticide reduction into National Restoration Plans is essential to achieve the EU Nature Restoration Regulation and build resilient food systems.

The EU Nature Restoration Regulation sets ambitious targets to restore ecosystems across Europe, from agricultural land and forests to rivers, urban areas, and marine environments. However, these objectives cannot be achieved without addressing one of the most pervasive drivers of environmental degradation: the use of chemical pesticides.

A substantial and growing body of scientific evidence shows that pesticides play a central role in:

• decline of insects and pollinators;

• reduction of farmland bird populations;

• degradation of soil biodiversity;

• contamination of water systems;

• increasing risks to human health.

A prerequisite for effective restoration

The joint recommendations developed by BeeLife and PAN Europe clearly identify pesticide reduction as a precondition for successful nature restoration.

Integrating clear and measurable pesticide-reduction targets into National Restoration Plans would:

• accelerate ecosystem recovery

• strengthen climate resilience

• enhance food security

• improve public health outcomes

Proven and practical solutions

The transition away from chemical dependency is not hypothetical, it is already underway.

Evidence from across Europe demonstrates that:

• organic farming significantly increases biodiversity

• Integrated Pest Management (IPM) reduces pesticide impacts without compromising yields

• pesticide-free urban policies improve environmental quality and public health

• farmers can reduce pesticide use without undermining economic viability

These approaches confirm that reducing reliance on chemical inputs is both feasible and economically sustainable.

Ensuring policy coherence

For restoration efforts to succeed, alignment across EU policies is essential.

Key priorities include:

• aligning the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) with restoration objectives;

• providing farmers with targeted financial incentives and advisory support;

• strengthening pollinator protection measures;

• phasing out environmentally harmful subsidies.
  

Such coherence ensures that public funding actively supports ecosystem recovery rather than contradicting it.

A strategic investment in Europe’s future

Reducing pesticide use is not merely an environmental necessity, it is a strategic investment in:

• resilient and sustainable food systems;

• healthier populations;

• long-term ecosystem stability.
  

Without decisive action, biodiversity loss will continue, environmental degradation will intensify, and agricultural systems will become increasingly vulnerable.

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