“Do you remember a time when the sky was filled with birds and bees and colourful fruit grew from the trees? Did that world cease to exist, or did you simply cease to notice it?”. That’s how the interactive experience at the Pollinator Park begins.
Users are brought into a virtual place designed in collaboration with world-renowned archibiotect Vincent Callebaut to raise awareness about the alarming decline of pollinators and mobilise global action to address it.
Pollinator Park offers a glimpse of the bleak future that awaits unless we radically change our relationship to nature. Visitors can learn about pollinators, try their hand at pollination, shop for groceries in a pollinator-deprived world and find out how they can help avoid this possible future.
“The alarming decline of insects that pollinate crops and wild plants puts food security at risk and threatens our survival,” said Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries Virginijus Sinkevičius. “The EU is already working hard to reverse the loss of pollinators with the European Green Deal, but we need a broad effort across the society, with contributions from scientists and experts, businesses and citizens. Pollinator Park aims to show the dangers of business as usual, inviting us all to strengthen our efforts to protect pollinators and ensure a better future for ourselves and future generations.”
Conceived as part of the EU Pollinators Initiative, which sets strategic objectives and a set of actions to be taken by the EU and its Member States to address the decline of pollinators and contribute to global conservation efforts, Pollinator Park should raise awareness, engage society at large and promote collaboration on wild pollinators.
Europe is home to an amazing variety of insects that pollinate crops and wild plants. This variety is essential to keep nature healthy and maintain our wellbeing. These pollinators, however, are in serious decline. This loss is a serious cause for concern, as around four in five crop and wild flowering plant species in the EU depend in part at least on animal pollination. Without pollinators, many plant species would decline and eventually disappear, presenting a major risk for nature and our own existence.
“One third of all the food that we eat, our fruit, vegetables, oils and nuts, is pollinated by bees,” added Commissioner for Health and Food Safety Stella Kyriakides. “The use in agriculture of pesticides that harm pollinators is one factor contributing to their decline. That is why we have banned the use of such substances, like certain neonicotinoids. Ensuring a high level of protection of pollinators is very important for the Commission when deciding on the approval of active substances for use in plant protection products and protection will be further enhanced by the reduction targets for pesticides in the Farm to Fork strategy.”
Pollinator Park is set in 2050, when a cascade of ecological crises has impoverished the world and pollinating insects have all but disappeared. The one beacon of hope in this barren landscape is a futuristic farm, which provides a safe haven for pollinators and is an eye-opener for visitors.
“Pollinator Park shows us that the future of agriculture depends on pollinators,” pointed out Commissioner for Agriculture Janusz Wojciechowski. “Without pollinators and biodiversity in general, the agriculture we know today will be a distant memory. This is why we have set ambitious targets in the European Green Deal to preserve biodiversity and promote sustainable farming practices such as organic farming. It is therefore crucial that we maintain a high level of environmental ambition for the new Common Agricultural Policy. It will play a key role in achieving these targets, complemented by research and innovation. Farmers are part of the solution, but they need the right tools to lead the green transition and ensure a bright future for the sector.”
This new initiative attempts to harness the power of the fastest-growing media platform in the world – the world’s 2 billion video gamers. With an emotionally engaging story and immersive technology, it aims to engage a wide audience in pollinator and nature protection, targeting younger generations in particular.
As thousands of insects can work in unison to make honey, so humankind has to find a way to cooperate today to save pollinators tomorrow.