A letter from Keith Tyrell, Director, PAN UK

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Dear John,

This year marked the sixtieth anniversary of the publication of a truly remarkable book, Silent Spring. The author, Rachel Carson, helped kick-start the environmental movement and opened our eyes to the fragility of the natural systems on which all life depends. She was subsequently persecuted by the pesticide industry and, 60 years later, PAN UK continues the battle. Did you know that we are the only charity focused on reducing the use of pesticides and tackling the harms they cause in the UK?

The use of pesticides contributes to many environmental, health and human rights problems, but this December, as part of our annual fundraising appeal, we want to draw your attention to its links with a terrifying loss of our biodiversity.

The current global rate of species extinction is unprecedented and a recent report found that wildlife populations have declined by 69% in the past 50 years ([link removed]) . Not only can pesticides cause direct harm, they also underpin the industrial agricultural practices that create the monocultures wiping out the habitats our wildlife needs to survive.

A recent study ([link removed]) found pesticide pollution to be the second biggest driver of insect declines. The loss of our insects leaves holes in food chains and ecosystems, having a knock-on effect on bird, amphibian, reptile and mammal populations.

The UK uses huge quantities of pesticides. In 2020, the equivalent of 56,000,000 football pitches worth of land ([link removed]) was treated with pesticides. Our wildlife has nowhere to hide. We desperately need to change this before it’s too late.

Please support our fundraising appeal this December ([link removed]) . We don't often ask for support, but if we want to save our wildlife we have to start with a dramatic reduction in the amount of chemicals we use across our countryside and urban centres.

We will continue to fight for change but we need your help!

Thank you.
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