Founded in 1948, The International Union for Conservation of Nature is an organisation working in the field of nature conservation. The IUCN established their Red List of Threatened Species in 1964 to provide information about range, population size, habitat and ecology, use and/or trade, threats, and conservation actions and help inform conservation decisions.
Apis. Mellifera - IUCN Red List Status, 2014
The European Red List of bees (Neito, 2014)
Wild bees are major pollinators of cultivated and wild plants. Nieto et al. (2014) describe them as “a global keystone in wild and agricultural ecosystem dynamics”.
This is "the best understanding we have so far of wild bees in Europe”, said Jean-Christophe Vie, former Deputy Director, IUCN Global Species Programme. “However, our knowledge about them is incomplete as we are faced with an alarming lack of expertise and resources. We must urgently invest in further research."
IUCN Pollinator Conservation Recommendations:
- Species conservation: Develop targeted species and habitat specific conservation measures for wild bees.
- Habitat conservation: Increase the protection of habitats supporting high bee diversity and endemism, and also those that act as source habitats for bees.
- Agriculture environment schemes: Provide forage and, in particular, nesting resources for bees in a range of farming systems.
- Agricultural production • Promote sustainable agriculture and improve farmed land for bees by expanding the area required for ecological areas.
- Knowledge and networks: Expand the pool of bee experts and invest in research
The European Red List of Bees provides, for the first time, information on the status of bees in Europe, nearly 2,000 species. 1,101 species (56.7%) in Europe and 1,048 species (55.6%) at the EU 27, there was not enough scientific information to evaluate their risk of extinction and thus, they were classified as Data Deficient. The species richness of bees increases from north to south in Europe, with the highest species richness being found in the Mediterranean climate zone. In particular, the Iberian, Italian and Balkan peninsulas.
Measures such as increasing the margins and buffer strips around agricultural fields that are rich in flowers and wildlife, and the preservation of grasslands, could be effective tools in alleviating the rapid decline in bumblebee species (Scheper et al. 2013).
The IUCN aims to foster the conservation of wild bees and their habitats around the world by promoting and strengthening regional and global networks of specialists, conducting assessments of their conservation status, raising awareness among the public and policymakers, and engaging in practical conservation actions at local, regional, and global scale.
This year The World Conservation Congress will take place in Abu Dhabi in October 2025.
A once-every-four-years gathering of nature conservation experts, leaders and decision-makers from around the world.
Congress Themes:
- Resilient Conservation Action: In a world facing rapid change, conservation efforts must rise to meet escalating challenges.
- Reducing Risks: Prioritising biodiversity, transforming education and creating a sustainable, resilient future for all.
- Delivering on Equity: True conservation and environmental justice.
- Leadership for Conservation: Prepare the next generation to lead pathways to restore ecosystems, protect biodiversity.
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Positive societies: Actively conserve, restore and regenerate ecosystems.
read more about the Congress at: https://iucncongress2025.org/