Neonicotinoid pesticides are complicated—and not just to pronounce. The name means "new nicotine-like insecticides," for their chemical make-up resembles that of nicotine. Since their introduction in the 1990s, these pesticides have sparked both global resistance and support from citizens, farmers, scientists, and governments.
On one hand, they are widely regarded as the most effective form of pesticides. The company AgInfomatics analyzed eight major North American crops over 20 years and found that neonicotinoids produce a crop yield increase of up to 71.3 percent.
On the other hand, under the surface of productivity is a disturbing truth: these pesticides can cause the collapse of pollinator populations and environmental degradation. Governments and advocates around the world have called for strict regulation and, in some cases, outright bans on these chemicals. As of February 2024, the 22 member states of the European Union; Switzerland; and the US states of New Jersey, Maine, and Nevada have all placed severely restrictive bans on types of neonicotinoids. Many other US states have enacted less restrictive regulations.
Yet, trade-in neonicotinoids abound, flowing from many countries that ban their use to those that do not. For instance, in 2022, the European Union exported 81,615 tons of 41 pesticides banned within the bloc; such exports are predominantly sent to lower- and middle-income countries, with Brazil as the largest recipient. Despite the environmentally damaging effects for which neonicotinoids are known, access to these chemicals may economically benefit countries, forcing a choice between environmental and economic goals.
Read more at: hir.harvard.edu