Bees and other pollinators: their health and value – “A report outlining the current and proposed government led policies and initiatives to support bees and other pollinators in England. Ref: PB13981

“Pollinators are animals that transfer pollen from the anthers to the stigma of a flower, enabling the flower to set seed and fruit (fertilisation). Through cross-fertilisation, they play an important role in maintaining plant diversity. Declines in the health and populations of bees and other pollinators are seen globally as posing risks to biodiversity, long-term food security and ultimately human health. At the Friends of the Earth conference on 28 June, Lord de Mauley (Parliamentary Under Secretary at Defra) called on all interested parties to work together to develop a more ambitious and integrated approach to address the threats faced by pollinators. These discussions are to form the basis of a National Pollinator Strategy, bringing together pollinator-friendly initiatives and providing a way forward for new action. We will look across different causes of bee decline and across different bee species and insect pollinators. This documents reviews current and proposed government led policies and initiatives across seven policy areas for England. It serves as a starting point for discussions on future policy with interested parties in business, academia, environmental groups, government and government agencies over the next six months.”