Buying organic food is not only good for your own health, but it is also environmentally friendly and protects the insect world. Organic farmers do not use harmful chemicals and instead rely on natural methods for pest control and soil care. These practices promote the diversity of insects and minimize the impact on the environment. By consciously choosing organic food, we actively contribute to the protection of insects and help to maintain the ecological balance.

Protect the climate to preserve insect diversity, because insects have adapted to their environment and the climate over millions of years. Climate protection is crucial to preserve the diversity and adaptability of insects over long periods of time. Protecting the climate creates better conditions for the different species of insects that are particularly sensitive to the effects of climate change. For example, by switching to renewable energy and reducing your energy consumption, you can actively contribute to mitigating climate change. You might also want to support climate protection initiatives to make an even greater impact. 

Although gardens only make up around 4% of the total area in Germany, they have enormous potential. Create insect-friendly balconies and gardens! By growing native wildflowers and herbs, you will attract a variety of insects, such as bees, butterflies and beetles. Choose the right plants and pay attention to variety and providing hiding places. You can find good tips from environmental organizations such as the ReNature Garten (German) YouTube channel or from BUND and NABU (both German).

Even with little space, you can make a big contribution. With these simple measures, you can actively contribute to the protection and promotion of the valuable insect population and at the same time enjoy a blooming and thriving balcony or garden.  

Green roofs and unpaved areas provide important food sources and retreats for various insect species. Greening roofs reduce heat-absorbing surfaces and promote biodiversity. Remove concrete or asphalt surfaces and replace them with natural areas of wildflowers, shrubs and trees to attract insects and expand their habitats. Any small contribution can make a big difference in reversing insect decline and preserving biodiversity.

Nocturnal insects, such as moths and beetles, are severely affected by artificial light. Bright light sources attract them and can lead to insect mortality as they lose their orientation and become exhausted. By avoiding excessive or unnecessary lighting, you can help restore these insects to their natural habitats. Switch off light sources when they are not needed, use shielded lightning and use economical lighting alternatives to protect nocturnal insects and preserve their important roles in ecosystems. 

Your financial support helps to fund programs and projects for the conservation of insects and their habitats. With your volunteer work, you can actively participate in measures such as creating insect habitats, conducting research or organizing awareness and educational events. Together with environmental organizations, we can implement urgently needed conservation measures to ensure the survival and diversity of insects. Every contribution, whether financial or voluntary, is of great importance for the protection of insects and our natural environment. 

Letters to the editor are read and they have an impact. Whether your letter is read by thousands of people or just the editorial team, letters make a difference and give the topic meaning.

A letter to the editor could look something like this:

„Dear Editor,

I would like to draw your attention to the fact that, in addition to pesticides, there is another source of damage that has been proven by studies. Electromagnetic fields, e.g. from mobile phones and high-voltage power lines can have damaging effects on insects, even far below official safety limits. A review and meta-analysis by Thill, Cammaerts & Balmori (2023) has now investigated the impact of high-voltage power lines and cell towers, small cells and other EMFs on insects. For this purpose, 130 studies were evaluated according to defined quality criteria. The meta-analysis meets the highest scientific standards and was published by the journal „Reviews on Environmental Health“ after peer review in November 2023. This means that its results are scientifically recognized.

Numerous studies have shown that electromagnetic radiation can have negative effects on the behavior, reproduction and even survival of insects. Insects play a crucial role in pollinating plants and maintaining ecological balance. It is therefore important that we take these potential impacts seriously and conduct further research to develop strategies to protect insects from mobile phone radiation. It is time that we prioritize the protection of our natural environment and its inhabitants, including insects, and take precautionary measures to minimize the negative effects of mobile communications.

Yours sincerely,
Your name“

Nature conservation must be taken into account when installing mobile phone base stations (cell-towers, small cells and so on). This is enshrined in law. Municipalities can decide on mobile communications concepts that regulate infrastructure development. This is regulated in § 7a of the 26th Federal Emission Control Ordinance (in Germany). The Bavarian Administrative Court confirmed this in two decisions in 2007. Municipalities may not reduce the limit values of the 26th Federal Emission Control Ordinance by means of urban land-use planning, but they may develop infrastructure as detailed below.

„However, this (regulation) does not prevent the municipality from using its planning powers to determine the locations for mobile phone base stations (like cell-towers or small cells) with the aim of achieving protection from harmful environmental effects caused by electromagnetic fields that goes beyond the requirements of the 26th BImSchV (Bundesimmissionsschutzverordnung, German law) for parts of its area that are particularly in need of protection.„ Mobile radio installations (like cell-towers) affect the requirements for healthy living and working conditions (Section 1 (6) No. 1 BauGB, German law). This is not a matter of „merely irrelevant emission concerns.“ In its decision of August 2012, the Federal Administrative Court confirmed the Bavarian rulings at the highest level: „The municipalities are free to pursue the urban planning policy that corresponds to their urban planning ideas (…). They may also pursue site planning if structural facilities are unobjectionable according to the relevant emission control standards – in this case the limit values of the 26th Ordinance on the Implementation of the Federal Emission Control Act (BImSchV)“ (BVerwG ruling (4 C 1/11) of 30.08.2012).

The most detailed legal opinion to date in the German Neue Zeitschrift für Verwaltungsrecht (New Journal of Administrative Law) confirms this and points out that „nature conservation reasons“ are a planning factor (Nitsch/Weis/Frey NVwZ 2020, 1642):

„As a rule, mobile phone base stations (like cell-towers) are fixed in place, as the honeycomb structure and the site investigations to be carried out make it difficult to move a potential site if nationwide coverage is to be guaranteed. Alternative sites that are preferable for nature conservation reasons or are located in the inner area (note: within the built-up districts) are to be preferred to the actual site in the interests of the best possible protection of the outdoor area. However, the developer/owner does not have to accept unreasonable or unrealistic alternatives.

According to § 35 V BauBG (German law), the outdoor area must be protected when expanding mobile communications. Mobile communications installations must be erected in a space-saving manner and soil sealing must be kept to a minimum. In order to protect the outdoor area as much as possible, a declaration of commitment to dismantling must be requested.“

„bb) Nature conservation law

As the erection of transmission towers generally represents a significant intervention in nature and the landscape, which may be unavoidable in accordance with Section 15 of the Federal Nature Conservation Act, nature conservation aspects of Sections 14 et seq. BNatSchG are particularly relevant for the erection of transmission towers in outdoor areas or in designated protected areas.

§ 14-17 BNatSchG do not apply in inner areas, § 18 II 1 BNatSchG. Within the scope of development plans, nature conservation aspects are already taken into account during the preparation process. In the case of projects that do not require a procedure, § 17 III BNatSchG nevertheless requires the approval of the responsible nature conservation authority. If the requirements of 15 BNatSchG are met, there is a legal entitlement to the granting of the permit. This is irrelevant for the approval of mobile phone installations, as projects that do not require a permit are unlikely to be found in outdoor areas because height restrictions and the nature conservation concerns were already taken into account when the development plan was drawn up.

The requirements of general species protection (§§ 39 ff. BNatSchG) can be complied with by means of secondary provisions to the building permit. Birds and bats can recognize mobile phone towers as obstacles and avoid them.“

See also here: https://www.diagnose-funk.org/aktuelles/artikel-archiv/detail?newsid=1632

We offer big praise and encouragement to all environmental organizations that are working tirelessly for the protection of insects! Your work is invaluable and helps to highlight the importance of insects to our ecosystems. Despite the challenges we face, we must not give up. Every effort, whether through research, education or practical action, makes a difference. Together we can tackle the threats to insects, protect and restore habitats and conserve insect diversity. Let’s fight together to protect insects and build a better future for them and our environment.

The mobile phone lobby is undoubtedly strong, as rapid network expansion and smart technology promise huge financial gains for telecommunications companies. Dismissal of critical voices from the scientific community and the trivialization of mobile phone radiation are expected from the lobby. Nevertheless, it is of great importance that the health and ecological risks that can be associated with mobile phone radiation are not neglected. By integrating the topic into your program and reporting on it, you are helping to educate the public and support the protection of insects and our natural environment. It is important to question the influence of the mobile phone lobby and to encourage a balanced discussion on this topic. The studies provide objective arguments in this regard.

The state can and must take precautionary action in situations of uncertainty, especially when there is cause for concern, and existing indicators. This is the precautionary principle. The findings on the risks posed to insects by electromagnetic fields are no longer uncertain. The risks are nearly proven. According to a review by Mulot et al. (2022), prepared for the Swiss government:

„Anthropogenic NIR (Non-ionizing radiation) pose a potential threat to arthropod populations as they affect the fitness, reproduction and behavior of individuals.“

„NIR” clearly have a sublethal effect on arthropods, both at the cellular and organismal level.“

The Federal Environment Agency writes about the precautionary principle:

„If damage to the environment has already occurred, the only option is to remedy it through aftercare. If there is a danger of damage to the environment foreseeable with a certain degree of probability – hazard prevention requires that its occurrence be prevented. Precautionary measures go one important step further: they are intended to prevent environmental hazards from arising in the first place. The precautionary principle therefore guides us to act early and with foresight to avoid environmental pollution.

The two dimensions of the precautionary principle are risk prevention and resource precaution. Risk prevention means taking preventive action in the event of incomplete or uncertain knowledge about the nature, extent, probability and causality of environmental damage and hazards in order to avoid them from the outset. Resource precaution means that we treat natural resources such as water, soil and air with care in order to safeguard them for the long term and preserve them for future generations.

In particular, the precautionary principle (German law) enables the state to legally manage situations of uncertainty and ensures that the state is also able to act in these situations. It can legitimize or even command environmentally protective state actions. In situations of uncertainty, the consequences of an action for the environment cannot be definitively assessed due to uncertain or incomplete scientific knowledge, but the available knowledge gives cause for concern. In these cases, the state does not have to wait until there is certainty, but can react to the cause for concern in accordance with the principle of proportionality. The precautionary principle does not specify in detail how it should do this. Rather, regulators must decide how to structure precaution in legal and instrumental terms.

The range of possible reactions extends from measures that serve to gather information to those that prohibit certain actions or, for example, ban certain hazardous substances. The precautionary principle can reduce the standard of proof and allow the burden of proof to be shifted: government action does not require the conviction that a risk actually exists. Rather, plausible or serious indications of an environmental risk are sufficient. If these exist, it is up to the person causing the risk to refute the reasonable indications of certain cause-and-effect relationships and to challenge the assumptions underlying the concern.“

https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/en/precautionary-principle

The precautionary principle also applies to flora and fauna. The findings on the danger posed to insects by electromagnetic fields are no longer uncertain, but are approaching the evidence stage.

The most detailed legal opinion to date in the Neue Zeitschrift für Verwaltungsrecht confirms that „nature conservation reasons“ are a planning factor when erecting mobile phone base stations (Nitsch/Weis/Frey NVwZ 2020, 1642):

  „bb) Nature conservation law

As the erection of transmission towers generally represents a significant intervention in nature and the landscape, which may be unavoidable in accordance with Section 15 of the Federal Nature Conservation Act, nature conservation aspects of Sections 14 et seq. BNatSchG are particularly relevant for the erection of transmission masts in outdoor areas or in designated protected areas.

§ 14-17 BNatSchG do not apply in inner areas, § 18 II 1 BNatSchG. In the area of application of development plans, nature conservation aspects are already taken into account in the preparation process. Nevertheless, Section 17 III BNatSchG requires the approval of the responsible nature conservation authority for projects that do not require a procedure. If the requirements of 15 BNatSchG are met, there is a legal entitlement to the granting of the permit. This is of no significance for the approval of mobile communications systems as, on the one hand, projects not subject to procedural requirements are unlikely to be found in outdoor areas due to the height restriction and, on the other hand, nature conservation concerns have already been taken into account when drawing up the development plan.The requirements of general species protection (§§ 39 ff. BNatSchG) can be complied with through ancillary provisions to the planning permission. Birds and bats can recognize mobile phone masts as obstacles and avoid them.“

See also: https://www.diagnose-funk.org/aktuelles/artikel-archiv/detail?newsid=1632

It is crucial that decision-makers and authorities take an active role in protecting insects. In particular, new findings on the potential effects of mobile phone radiation on insects demands urgent action. The sum of various influencing factors and their interactions can be toxic to insects. The drastic decline in insect populations has far-reaching consequences for our ecosystems and for global food production. Support research, set clear guidelines for mobile phone expansion and promote measures to protect insect habitats. It is time for policy makers to recognize this urgent problem and take steps to ensure the survival and diversity of insects.

Respond to the demands of environmental organizations! The cooperation and support of decision-makers is crucial to effectively promote insect protection. Listen to the voices of environmental organizations in Germany such as BUND, NABU, WWF and many more, who have been working for decades to reduce the use of pesticides and to preserve and promote natural habitats. There are concrete proposals and many concepts. Diagnose-Funk e. V. also calls for preventive measures to be taken in connection with mobile phone expansion. Campaign for stricter laws and guidelines to ensure the protection of insects and their habitats. These demands are based on scientific evidence and a clear understanding of the urgency of this problem. Act now to protect insects to ensure biodiversity and the preservation of our vital ecosystems.

Read our fact sheet which provides comprehensive information on the potential effects of mobile phone radiation on insects. It provides an overview of the current scientific findings and serves as a valuable source of information. 

In addition, we recommend that you read the latest mobile phone study or Thill study, which shed more light on the specific links between mobile phones and insect mortality. By studying these sources, you will gain insight into the connections and be able to make informed decisions about protecting insects. Take the time to review the facts and learn about current scientific findings to better understand the importance of insect conservation and the need for responsible mobile phone development.

Local politicians often believe that municipalities have no say in the installation of mobile phone towers. This is incorrect and would contradict municipal autonomy. Municipalities can decide on mobile communications concepts that regulate the construction of infrastructure with transmitters. This is regulated in § 7a of the 26th Federal Emission Control Ordinance.

The Bavarian Administrative Court confirmed this in two decisions in 2007. They may not reduce the limit values of the 26th Federal Emission Control Ordinance by means of urban land-use planning, but:

„However, this does not prevent the municipality from using its planning powers to determine the locations for mobile phone base stations with the aim of achieving protection from harmful environmental effects caused by electromagnetic fields that goes beyond the requirements of the 26th BImSchV for parts of its area that are particularly in need of protection.“ Mobile communication installations affect the requirements for healthy living and working conditions (Section 1 (6) No. 1 BauGB).

In two recent specialist articles in the Neue Zeitschrift für Verwaltungsrecht 22/2020 from 15.11.2020, the authors Nitsch/Weiss/Frey (2020) in an expert opinion for the Baden-Württemberg state government and retired judge Bernd Budzinski (2020) underline that the municipality can play an active role. Key messages of the articles by Nitsch/Weiss/Frey and Budzinski.

The municipality can and should draw up a mobile communications concept

• „Within the framework of the planning sovereignty protected by Art. 28GG, the municipality realizes its urban development goals. Site planning for mobile communications installations – ideally on the basis of a municipal mobile communications concept – offers considerable control potential in addition to the provision of public land“ (Nitsch/Weiss/Frey 2020).
• „The municipalities are therefore making appropriate use of their right to self-government under Article 28II 1 of the Basic Law if they wish to wait until the missing health check and a technology assessment for 5G have been carried out in view of this worrying uncertainty and planning insecurity“ (Budzinski 2020).

The Federal Administrative Court ruled in 2012 that mobile radio is relevant for precautionary purposes because mobile communication base stations, at least in the cumulative, „affect the general requirements for healthy living and working conditions due to the spread of high-frequency radiation“ (Section 1 VI No. 1 BauGB).

https://www.diagnose-funk.org/aktuelles/artikel-archiv/detail?newsid=1632

The ICNIRP, BUND and the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) of the EU have been pointing out the urgency of insect studies since 1999. In 1999, the German Federal Office for Radiation Protection and the ICNIRP organized the international conference „Effects of electromagnetic fields on the living environment.“ The conference proceedings repeatedly note that the state of research is incomplete. The conference proceedings express the hope that further research will be carried out:

„The specific issues that need to be addressed include

• EMF exposure of animals, plants and marine organisms
• Orientation and migration effects on birds and marine organisms
• Behavioral changes in insects“ (p. 8).”

But this demand for action had no consequences. Research findings that appeared in the 2000s were played down by the authorities and no research projects of their own were commissioned.

The urgency of studies on the effects of EMF on insects was then demanded at the European level 20 years later. The EESC (European Economic and Social Committee) called for this on 13.07.2023:

‚The Committee calls for an EU study to provide accurate data on the impact of electromagnetic radiation from telecommunication antennas on wild pollinators in their natural habitats and on the policy measures needed to ensure effective pollinator protection‘ (1.8) https://kurzelinks.de/ls66.

The background to the EESC’s call for further clarification of the causes of insect mortality is the many individual studies that have demonstrated negative multifactorial effects in recent years, including in the area of EMF (see below). With the meta-analysis by Thill, Cammaerts & Balmori, a meta-analysis is now available for EMF that meets the EESC’s comprehensive requirements.

There is an urgent need to fund field studies that investigate not only the effects of EMF from power lines and cell towers, but also the interaction of radiation with other environmental toxins.

Politicians and decision-makers can act now to protect insects, as the precautionary principle dictates. The state can and must take precautionary action in situations of uncertainty, when there is cause for concern and existing indicators. The findings on the risk to insects from electromagnetic fields are no longer merely uncertain, but are approaching the point of being proven. According to a review by Mulot et al. (2022), prepared for the Swiss government:

„Anthropogenic NIR (non-ionizing radiation) poses a potential threat to arthropod populations by affecting the selection value (fitness), reproduction and behaviour of individuals.“

„NIS have a clear sublethal effect on arthropods, both at the cellular and organismal level.“

https://www.diagnose-funk.org/aktuelles/artikel-archiv/detail?newsid=1938

The Federal Environment Agency writes about the precautionary principle:

„If damage to the environment has already occurred, the only option is to remedy it after the fact. If there is a danger of damage to the environment with a certain degree of probability – hazard prevention requires that its occurrence be prevented. Precautionary measures go one important step further: they are intended to prevent environmental hazards from arising in the first place. The precautionary principle therefore guides us to act early and with foresight to avoid environmental pollution.

The two dimensions of the precautionary principle are risk prevention and resource precaution. Risk prevention means taking preventive action in the event of incomplete or uncertain knowledge about the nature, extent, probability and causality of environmental damage and hazards in order to avoid them from the outset. Resource precaution means that we treat natural resources such as water, soil and air with care in order to safeguard them for the long term and preserve them for future generations …

In particular, the precautionary principle (German law) enables the state to legally manage situations of uncertainty and ensures that the state is also able to act in these situations. It can legitimize or even command environmentally protective state actions. In situations of uncertainty, the consequences of an action for the environment cannot be definitively assessed due to uncertain or incomplete scientific knowledge, but the available knowledge gives cause for concern. In these cases, the state does not have to wait until there is certainty, but can react to the cause for concern in accordance with the principle of proportionality. The precautionary principle does not specify in detail how it should do this. Rather, regulators must decide how to structure precaution in legal and instrumental terms.

The range of possible reactions extends from measures that serve to gather information to those that prohibit certain actions or, for example, ban certain hazardous substances. The precautionary principle can reduce the standard of proof and allow the burden of proof to be shifted: government action does not require the conviction that a risk actually exists. Rather, plausible or serious indications of an environmental risk are sufficient. If these exist, it is up to the person causing the risk to refute the reasonable indications of certain cause-and-effect relationships and to shake the assumptions underlying the concern.“
https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/en/precautionary-principle