Pollinators and policy: the intersecting path of various actors across an evolving CAP

Pollinators are a crucial group of organisms due to their role in the maintenance of environmental biodiversity and crop production. Pollinators may be very diverse; however, in temperate areas they are mainly insects, and the most active and important are certainly the bees. Not only the well-known honeybee: there are almost 2000 species of wild bees in Europe, and about 1000 just in Italy. There is an increasing public worry related to their decline and to the impact that this decline may have on agricultural production. The way public perception of the pollinator issue arises is generally neglected, especially by important stakeholders such as the farmers. Moreover, direct actions were not indicated by the policy till recently. We surveyed the main steps that possibly drove the current political perspective at the European and national (Italian) level. We found an increased boost toward healthier environments through the release of various documents. To look for changes that may include pollinator protection, we need to address the Common Agricultural Policies (CAPs), the tool that shapes the European agro-environments. A new CAP document has been recently released, and the Member States are moving toward the definition of eco-schemes to be adopted by farmers after payments. Italy placed pollinators in pole position with a dedicated eco-scheme: will pollinators finally be acknowledged?

Automated summary

Pollinators play a crucial role in maintaining environmental biodiversity and crop production. In temperate areas, bees are the most active and important group of pollinators. While there is growing public concern about their decline and its impact on agriculture, this issue has been neglected by important stakeholders like farmers. Recent policies, including the new Common Agricultural Policies (CAPs) in Europe, indicate a shift toward prioritizing healthier environments. Italy has taken the lead by including pollinators in a dedicated eco-scheme. Will this finally lead to greater acknowledgement and protection of pollinators?