POLLINATORS POLLINATION AND FOOD PRODUCTION

THE ASSESSMENT REPORT ON POLLINATORS, POLLINATION AND FOOD PRODUCTION
6.2.1 An overview of direct risks
associated with pollinator decline
Table 6.2.2 summarises the evidence included in this
assessment for each of the direct impacts listed in Table
6.2.1, including whether and where the impact is known
to be happening. Based on this information, we categorise
the direct impacts into those that pose an immediate risk
to people and livelihoods at least somewhere in the world
(immediate risk), those that do not pose an immediate risk
but could develop in the longer term (future risk), and those
for which we do not have sufficient knowledge to assess the
risk, even conceptually (unknown).
6.2.1.1 Linking risks to drivers
Table 6.2.3 shows the main drivers associated with the
risks identified. The drivers listed are those most frequently
selected as one of the ‘two or three main drivers’ by
the Lead Authors and Co-ordinating Lead Authors, in
an anonymous individual consultation exercise. Of the
drivers discussed in Chapter 2, changes in land cover and
spatial configuration (2.1.1), land management (2.1.2), and
pesticides (2.2.1) are the most prominent drivers of risks
associated with pollinator decline.
Kuldna et al. (2009) also found that land use practices
and agrochemicals were regarded as the most significant
pressures on pollinators, using a combination of literature
review and expert judgement.
6.2.1.2 Other perspectives on risk
A report by the International Risk Governance Council
(IRGC, 2009) identified a number of barriers, or
‘governance deficits’ that prevent effective governance
of the risks related to pollination. These barriers can be
summarised as: scientific uncertainty, lack of economic
mechanisms, inadequate land use policies, inadequate
stakeholder consultation, and lack of long-term planning.
All these barriers persist to some extent, but this chapter
demonstrates progress towards reducing them. Research
funding has reduced scientific uncertainty (section 6.4.6),
there are examples of stakeholder participation and
communication around the world (6.4.1, 6.4.4, 6.4.6 and
6.5), and a range of economic methods and mechanisms
have been developed, and tested or established in some
regions (Chapter 4 and Section 6.5.1.5).
impacts in our list. According to the report, pollinator
decline is likely to affect cash flow for some companies with
exposure to agricultural produce, due to impacts on raw
material prices, but it concludes that pollinator decline is
more significant at national and farm levels than at the level
of the global economy.
6.2.2 Opportunities to benefit
pollinators and improve
pollination
It is beyond the scope of this report to review evidence for
the social or economic benefits that underlie many of the
opportunities listed in Table 6.2.1. However, evidence for
the likelihood of some of these opportunities comes from
what we know about the effectiveness of the responses,
and is described in the rest of this chapter.
Section 6.4.1, Agriculture, horticulture and forestry
practices, compiles what is known about the likelihood
of improved or more stable yields, reduced reliance on
managed pollinators, diversified income and premium
prices, and more economically sustainable agriculture in
the long term, following action on pollinators. Section 6.4.2
Pesticides and pollutants provides information on reduced
environmental hazards associated with agriculture, which
could contribute to maintaining wild pollinator and plant
diversity, and generate improved conditions and habitats for
other species. Section 6.4.3 Nature conservation discusses
the likelihood that better biodiversity conservation overall
is associated with pollinator management. Section 6.4.4,
Pollinator management and beekeeping, discusses what is
known about the likelihood of increased production of honey
and bee products from better management of pollinators.
Finally, section 6.7 Trade-offs and synergies in decisions
about pollination¸ discusses the evidence on whether
mitigating pollinator decline and active management of
pollination enhances other ecosystem services through
synergy.
We can also use this assessment to identify responses
that have been established and shown to be effective.
These may represent opportunities to act in other places or
contexts, if there are appropriate resources available, and
suitable openings in the policy cycle. These responses are
shown in bold, in Table 6.9.1.
371
6. RESPONSES TO RISKS AND OPPORTUNITIES ASSOCIATED
WITH POLLINATORS AND POLLINATION
In 2014, the global asset management firm Schroders
Investment Management Ltd. published a report on the
economic and corporate significance of pollinator decline
(Stathers, 2014). The report provides an insight into global
business perceptions of the first two food production