Side Event

Caring for Pollinators – safeguarding agrobiodiversity and wild plant diversity

Organizer
Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN)

Date and Time
22 May 2008 18:15 - 19:45

Meeting
Ninth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP 9)

Following the the “São Paulo Pollinator Declaration” COP 6 the principal role of pollinators has been recognized and considerable work of the Pollinators Initiatives has been done since. Primary focus was on bees (Hymenoptera), while other pollinator groups remain largely ne-glected. In view of the 2010 target of the CBD, to reduce the rate of loss of biodiversity worldwide, and to address the risk of major reductions in pollination capacity due to climate and land use change, it will be necessary to broaden the scope of the Pollinator Initiatives in addressing pollinator systems and to enforce their work. This should include all major pollina-tor groups and their interactions with plants. With the link to the Global Taxonomy Initiative established, applied and pure research with the aim of better understanding plant – pollinator interactions needs to be intensified for long-term sustainable agrobiodiversity and for plant biodiversity worldwide. The two insect groups bees (Hymenoptera) and flies (Diptera) will be presented as the main pollinator groups in an introductory review of their pollination services and the state of knowledge. A “Pollinator Buffet” will serve a variety of fruits and foods demonstrating the diversity of pollinators we owe a major part of our living resources. Representatives of the regional Polli-nator Initiatives will be invited.