General election 2024 manifesto... for bugs

Buglife wants political parties to end peat use, increase access to nature and restore the health of rivers

"The next government must recognise the rapid decline in insects and restore sustainable populations of all invertebrates."

Peterborough-based insect conservation charity Buglife has released a general election manifesto for insects.

It has outlined the commitments the next UK government must make to restore and ensure sustainable invertebrate populations.

Within the manifesto, the charity called for action because "without healthy populations it is impossible to halt nature's decline".

Buglife published its Manifesto for Bugs to set out what the world's smallest and most numerous creatures needed from any future government.

The charity said: "The next government must recognise the rapid decline in insect abundance, demonstrated by the Bugs Matter monitoring scheme revealing a 64% reduction in UK flying insect numbers in just 18 years."

It added that fully resourced delivery plans should be set to meet targets to rapidly address climate change, end sewage pollution and protect 30% of the UK for nature.

Buglife also wants political parties to fulfil their promises to end peat use, increase access to nature and restore the health of rivers.

As well as achieving existing targets and pledges, it set out requirements and commitments for halting nature loss and reversing invertebrate declines:

• reconnect our landscape by filling B-Lines with wildflower-rich stepping-stones

• set light pollution reduction targets

• strengthen bee-friendly pesticide

• dedicate new resources to save our most threatened species

• improve planning for invertebrates

• lead global action on nature-positive trade

• stop the sale of banned toxins for domestic use