Global Ideas

Nature on the move

Some 10,000 species worldwide are migratory. Without them, entire ecosystems would collapse.

The incredible journeys of migratory animals

From the Arctic to the Serengeti, from mighty whales to tiny butterflies, nature's travelers make amazing journeys.

Turtle doves: Bringing back the UK's fastest declining bird

Turteltaube Jungtiere im Nest (picture-alliance/Mary Evans Picture Library/J. Bailey)

They have long captured people's imaginations as a symbol of love, but today the birds are flying toward extinction amid a biodiversity crisis in Britain. Can conservationists protect them for the future?

Tunisian fishermen serve up a destructive invasive delicacy

Fishermen on a boat and a crab caught in a net

Invasive blue swimming crabs have been causing a nuisance for fishermen in Tunisia, destroying their nets and eating their catch. But now these bothersome crustaceans are helping to put food on the table.

Albania's youth flee the mountains in search of better prospects

Young people are leaving Albania's Korab mountain range to find a better living elsewhere. But environmentalists are trying to protect the area's unique nature and way of life by encouraging them to stay.

Kashmir's environmentalists work in the shadow of violence and climate change

Sartaj Ahmed Magray, 21, a trekking guide who also leads cleanliness drives from alpine and glacial lakes, for Himalayan Welfare Association

Illegal construction, timber smuggling and a decades-long conflict have degraded Kashmir valley's forests. But locals are stepping in to protect the unique nature of their home in the Himalayas.

The Russian environmental activist aiming to plant a billion trees by 2030

Russia is home to world's largest forest area but logging and climate change are causing woodland to disappear at a rapid pace. Activist Marianna Muntianu is fighting back by with trees and mobile technology.

How do we change?

Can civilization ever protect the planet? DW explores ideas that could transform our approach to the ecological crisis.

Animated explainers

Watch video 03:02

How will our diets change in the future?

Food for all — how farming worldwide could be improved.

How will our diets change in the future?

Graphic showing products which contain palm oil

How the world got addicted to palm oil

Screenshot | Infofilm von Global Ideas zu Trinkwasser (DW)

Blue Gold: The dwindling resource of water

A plant's best friend — the importance of pollinators

Shady dealing in endangered wildlife

Conservation

Saving Northern Macedonia's "Green Belt"

A former Cold War border strip has become a biodiversity hotspot. Now a project is protecting it for the future.

Learning to live with Australia's maligned 'priority pest' dingo

Farmers in Colombia threaten the elusive Andean bear

Life after the tourist trade for Thailand's elephants

Environmental issues in images

What have insects ever done for us?

Planet of the insects

From pretty butterflies to pesky mosquitoes — insects are among the most diverse and dominant groups on earth. Nearly 1 million species are known to exist and there are likely many more to be discovered. According to a UN biodiversity study, up to 40% of insects species are threatened with extinction in some parts of the world. Many people do not realize that their loss would be keenly felt.
What have insects ever done for us?

Skilled pollinators

Crops, such as wheat, are wind pollinated, but many other food crops depend on insects for pollination. Their disappearance would come at great cost to farmers. Some $235 billion of yearly global food production relies on pollinators. In some farms in China, workers are hand-pollinating apple and pear trees because of the lack of bees. Such labor-intensive work pushes up food prices.
What have insects ever done for us?

Poorer plates

Pollinator disappearance also means we'd lack much of the fruit and vegetables we eat — and we wouldn't be enjoying beloved treats like chocolate and coffee. Apart from food, pollinators also contribute to the fibers, such as cotton, from which we make our clothes, as well as to plants on which certain medicines are based.
What have insects ever done for us?

Nature's cleanup crew

Many insects, like the dung beetle pictured here, decompose dead plant matter, carrion and feces that would otherwise be left to decay in our environment. Basically, the world would be a smellier and less hygienic place without them.
What have insects ever done for us?

A meal for other creatures

Insects are the main source of food for many other animals, including amphibians, reptiles, certain mammals, and birds. And as insects disappear, there could be declines in the species that feed on them too. Ornithologists believe sharp declines in bird species in the UK, for instance, are at least partly linked to a drop in insect numbers.
What have insects ever done for us?

Difficulties adapting

Climate change is also affecting insects that are slow to adapt. Bumblebees for instance are suited to cool and wet climates and may find it difficult in warmer weather. But insects that are pests are already spreading to new habitats. The European corn borer (pictured), which can destroy corn harvests, is among them. That means farmers use more pesticides that kill pollinating insects.
What have insects ever done for us?

No place for pollinators

Intensive farming is one of the major factors behind insect declines in Europe. Fertilizers, pesticides and insecticides are all driving the decline, as are monocultures — the practise of growing of a single crop or plant. That takes refuge and habitat, like diverse flowering meadows, away from insects.
What have insects ever done for us?

A home for insects

Experts say a more insect-friendly farming policy that relies less on pesticides and monocultures would boost their numbers. But planting blooming flowers in gardens and urban areas would also provide food and habitat for bumblebees and butterflies. Another option is building more "insect hotels," (pictured) for solitary critters, like leafcutter bees, which like to nest in tunnels.

Author: Jennifer Collins