EU urged to act against pesticides to fight insect decline

BRUSSELS (AP) — Environmental groups are urging the European Union to take drastic action to protect insects against heavy pesticide use. They say in a report Tuesday that up to one-third of all inspect species is threatened with extinction. Friends of the Earth Europe and a think-tank say that more than 40% of the world’s insect species are in decline because of industrial farming and heavy pesticide use, a drop that could endanger global food production. The groups are calling for a new law to cut pesticide use by 80% by 2030. The EU says it has very strict rules concerning pesticides and did not renew approval this year for one neonicotinoid because of health and environment concerns.