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Berlin (dpa) - Despite sharp criticism from Baden-Württemberg, among others, the federal cabinet passed the legislative package on insect protection on Wednesday after months of wrestling.
As Federal Agriculture Minister Julia Klöckner (CDU) and Federal Environment Minister Svenja Schulze (SPD) announced at a joint press conference in the morning, both the new version of the Federal Nature Conservation Act (commonly known as the Insect Protection Act) and the change in the so-called Plant Protection Application Ordinance have been initiated.
The two projects had met strong opposition in advance - both from the federal states and from farmers.
They fear economic losses as a result of the more restrictive use of pesticides, which the regulation on plant protection in particular regulates.
The draft of the Insect Protection Act provides, among other things, that biotopes such as orchards and species-rich grassland for insects are to be preserved as habitats.
Light pollution as a danger for nocturnal insects should also be contained in the future.
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The amendment to the Plant Protection Application Ordinance introduced at the same time by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture regulates, among other things, the use of the controversial herbicide glyphosate.
The application is initially to be severely restricted and completely banned by the end of 2023.
Other plant protection products are also banned in protected areas.
Federal Environment Minister Schulze defended the resolutions on Wednesday and called them “good news for insects and the future of our ecosystems”.
Baden-Württemberg has already announced its resistance in the Federal Council if no more changes are made.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210210-99-381899 / 2