No Bug Spray Needed – The Global Decline of Insects

By Suzanne York.

Humans have an undeniable impact on the world. For the most part, much of our global footprint isn’t having a positive effect and is actually shifting planetary boundaries.

This World Environment Day (June 5), and for the ones to come, humanity has to change its relationship with Nature.  We are killing the planet that keeps us all alive.

 Most of us know about the ‘canary in the coalmine’ saying, warning of dangers ahead.  There are currently so many similar warnings swirling around us that it staggers the mind.

Insect Apocalypse

One huge warning that is flying under the radar is the decline in insects.  While bugs may not be one of our favorite species on Earth, they are critical.

This headline in The Guardian says it all - ‘Half the tree of life’: ecologists’ horror as nature reserves are emptied of insects.

The article reports that pervasive use of pesticides, along with pollution (including light pollution), loss of habitat and industrial agriculture have had a detrimental effect on insects.

One of the scientists interviewed, entomologist David Wagner, said that up until the last decade, “the major drivers of biodiversity losses around the planet were really land degradation and land loss, habitat loss. But I think now that climate change is by far exceeding that.”

Humans are likely wiping out insects that are unknown to us. The world has lost 5% to 10% of all insect species in the last 150 years — or between 250,000 and 500,000 species, according to a 2020 study in the journal Biological Conservation.

Food Security

Insects help our world thrive, especially when it comes to our food systems. Extinction of insects poses a huge threat to much of our agriculture.

According to the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, insects pollinate about 75% of global crops, a service valued at almost $600 billion. Two driving causes of the marked fall off are climate change and habitat loss.

Insects are also an important food source for many animals, including birds, fish, and other insects.

Nature’s Rights

Sadly, caring about insects (other than perhaps ladybugs and bees) can be a tough sell.  But ultimately – and very soon – humans will need to recognize and understand that our species is connected to all others. There are ways forward that can help in changing current mindsets towards the natural world. Here are just a few:

• In March 2025, Indigenous leaders of New Zealand, Tahiti and the Cook Islands signed a historic treaty that recognizes whales as legal persons with inherent rights.

• New Zealand also passed a groundbreaking law in 2017 that granted personhood status to the Whanganui River because of its importance to Māori people.

• Panama has granted legal rights to sea turtles to live and have free passage in a healthy environment.

Changing Our Approach

The good news is there is a growing understanding of the importance of recognizing rights for Nature. The threats to all creatures from human activities remain though, and will require deep-seated changes in how we live on and interact with Earth.