Option
This week the European Commission has its official answer to the 1,1 million citizens who support the European Citizens' Initiative (ECI) "Save bees and farmers" have signed, submitted. "We are already working on the implementation of your demands!", is the short version.
The initiators of the EBI Welcome and support the Commission's call to the European Parliament and Council for a speedy and ambitious agreement that "translates citizens' ambition into law". “With the drafts for reducing pesticides and restoring biodiversity as well as the pollinator initiative, important legislative proposals are on the table. It is now a matter of constructively implementing these Green Deal measures", the initiators of the EBI emphasize the urgency and importance of reducing pesticides for health, biodiversity and sustainable food production: "At the same time, we call for greater involvement of concerned citizens and Scientists in this process.”
No procrastination, just speed and ambition
The European Citizens' Initiative is that only participatory-democratic instrument in the EU that enables citizens to participate in shaping EU politics. Over a million EU citizens who have signed a formal application, giving their personal details and in many countries also their passport number, in support of “Save Bees and Farmers” are a strong signal. They call for an 80% reduction in pesticides by 2030 and a complete phase-out of chemical-synthetic pesticides by 2035, restoring biodiversity and helping farmers transition to more sustainable agriculture. These demands from citizens should be taken very seriously by all EU institutions and politicians. That this does not apply to all political decision-makers is shown by the repeated attempts to delay the legislative process and the mantra-like spread of disinformation, such as a facts check recently showed.
“There is increasing scientific evidence of the desolate state of biodiversity and the Danger of pesticides to our health. Pesticides are much more widespread than previously thought, even in the human body and in our living spaces, pesticides are detectable. Many substances are particularly dangerous for unborn children and small children, even in very small doses. Pesticides not only cause acute poisoning, but can also trigger chronic diseases such as Parkinson's or childhood leukemia,” emphasizes Martin Dermine, PAN Europe and main representative of “Save Bees and Farmers”.
“In view of the climate and biodiversity crisis, there is no alternative to reducing the use of pesticides and restoring biological diversity. Dangerous pesticides must be reduced as a priority. To do this, we need a meaningful measuring instrument for pesticide reduction. The one from the commission proposed indicator (HRI 1) is absolutely unacceptable. This would only protect the status quo and must therefore Getting corrected", says Helmut Burtscher-Schaden from the environmental protection organization GLOBAL 2000 and co-initiator of the EBI.
Madeleine Coste from Slow Food, who is actively involved in the ECI, adds: “We need faster progress to ensure that our Food system healthy, sustainable and climate resilient is. Clean water, healthy soil, biological diversity and environmentally friendly food production are for the global food security essential. We need a much stronger one Support for farmers to end their dependency on pesticides. We expect the EU and the Member States to support the wishes of 1,1 million Europeans and to constructively promote the implementation of the legislative proposals.”
Demands on the way to implementation: bold agreement needed
The European Commission is aware of the urgency and has lied ahead of important legislative proposals after the launch of “Save Bees and Farmers” in 2019: The Regulation to reduce the use of pesticides (SUR) and that Law for the Restoration of Nature (NRL) serve to protect health and restore biodiversity, as does the recently launched one pollinator initiative.
“A European citizens' initiative is more than just a signature, it is an active participation in the process. We will closely monitor what is happening, debunk false claims and continue to encourage citizens to contact their national and EU politicians to show their involvement in every step. In the upcoming EU elections, politicians will have to show that they serve the common interests of health, good food and biodiversity. Our future and that of our children and grandchildren should come before the profits of the pesticide industry”, concludes Martin Dermine.
Photo / Video: Lode Sadaine.
