What happens if bees disappear?

Bees are so important to life on planet Earth that without them, it is estimated that the world will collapse in about five years. And bees perform a function that is equally subtle, but also key to an infinite number of natural processes: pollination, the process that allows flowers to be fertilized to produce seeds and fruits. Pollination is a key process not only for biodiversity, but also for food security for virtually all of humanity. Therefore, caring for bees is a key process for the survival of the entire terrestrial ecosystem.

But what threatens the bees?

There are several factors that control bee populations. One of these, of course, is climate change, as rising temperatures reduce nectar quantity and pollen quality, two key factors in bee development.

Another factor that leads to a decline in bee populations is agricultural practices, especially the use of pesticides and herbicides, which ultimately prove to be nothing more than poison for this class of insects.

In short, the model of economic development, in its eternal quest to increase the production of goods and services, ironically destroys the mechanisms that support life on Earth.

What happens if bees disappear?

The first thing to note about the catastrophic disappearance of bees is that a third of the food we consume depends directly on their pollination, so if these insects disappear, we will have a food shortage that will immediately lead to widespread inflation.

On the other hand, its absence will affect 90% of wild flowering plants, which in turn will cause endless problems at the biodiversity level.

We must not lose sight of the fact that the disappearance of bees will cause a ripple effect that will affect other species. It is estimated that bees account for 60% of pollination worldwide. And since much of that pollination means food for other pollinators, the absence of bees will eliminate other pollinator species, such as birds, flies, or bats. Some experts believe that this chain effect would end world life within 5 years.

How to avoid bees becoming extinct?

First, we must be realistic: there is very little chance that the process of global warming will be stopped to ensure that temperature rises do not exceed 2 degrees above pre-industrial levels. For this to happen, the economy would practically have to be paralyzed.

However, it is possible to ban the use of agrochemicals and pesticides by moving towards sustainable agricultural models.