Research Report I

SUMMARY : THE ASSESSMENT REPORT ON POLLINATORS, POLLINATION AND FOOD PRODUCTION, IPBES 2017

INDEX

A. VALUES OF POLLINATORS & POLLINATION

B. STATUS AND TRENDS IN POLLINATORS AND POLLINATION

C. DRIVERS OF CHANGE, RISKS & OPPORTUNITIES, & POLICY & MANAGEMENT OPTIONS

The Importance of Pollinators for Food Production

• Pollination Powerhouse: Over 75% of the world's major food crops benefit from animal pollination, impacting both the quantity and quality of our harvests. These pollinator-dependent crops contribute a significant 35% to the total volume of food produced globally.
• Vulnerability and Value: While the level of dependence on animal pollination varies, it's estimated that 5-8% of current global food production, with a staggering market value of $235 billion to $577 billion annually, relies heavily on this process.
• Pollinator Peril: The situation is concerning. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List reports that 16.5% of vertebrate pollinators, like birds and bats, face the threat of global extinction. This number jumps to a worrying 30% for island species.
• Insect Woes: While there's no global Red List assessment specifically for insects, regional and national studies paint a grim picture. In Europe alone, 9% of bee and butterfly species are classified as threatened, with populations declining for a significant portion (37% for bees and 31% for butterflies). National assessments, where available, often show an even more alarming trend, with over 40% of bee species potentially facing extinction.

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