This paper was presented at Wanstead Climate Action meeting, 1st August 2023 by Pesticide Free Redbridge pesticidefreeredbridge@btinternet.com
Pesticide use increases climate change
- Pesticides contribute to climate change throughout their lifecycle via manufacturing, packaging, transportation, application, and environmental degradation and disposal.
- 99% of pesticides are derived from fossil fuels
- They release greenhouse gas emissions after application
- Many oil and gas companies play a major role in developing pesticides (some sponsor research into toxicity etc)
Climate change increases pesticide use
- Longer warm weather leads to a longer growing period which leads to more pesticide use
- More pesticide use leads to more weed resistance…
- Leading to more pesticide use
- And more toxicity in soil, air and water
Climate change makes pesticide use even more toxic
- In hotter temperatures more pesticide spray will vaporise and toxic air will drift
- With more severe rain events, more pesticide will run off into water gullies
- Hotter weather is likely to reduce herbicide effectiveness so increase applications
- Increased use will lead to greater weed resistance and cause more harm to public health and the environment.
There is an alternative:
Eliminating pesticide use will enhance green spaces in our cities and increase climate resilience
‘Thriving green spaces [such as road verges and tree pits] enhance the climate resilience of cities, by providing a cooling effect which helps with high temperatures and heatwaves. They also contribute to sustainable urban drainage which reduces flood risk, provides carbon sequestration, and can improve local biodiversity and protect pollinators which are increasingly under threat from climate change.’ P.13
Source: Pesticides and the Climate Crisis: A Vicious Cycle, Pesticide Action Network July 2023 (Download PAN UK report, 16pp 1.4 MB ; PAN US/Canada version also in French and Spanish.)
Wanstead Climate Action 