When we protect plants, we protect our health, our environment, our livelihoods, and our lives.

 

Dear plant-health community, Imagine a world where farms bear no crops, forests have no trees, and nature exists without plants. Not only would our world look incredibly different, but humanity would probably cease to exist altogether. Plants provide 98 percent of the air we breathe and 80 percent of the food we eat. That’s how much our lives depend on plants, yet we often overlook how vital they are. Our global plant resources are under threat from pests. Once plant pests are established in an area, it becomes nearly impossible and extremely costly to eradicate them. This sets back global efforts to achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals by curtailing our ability to provide food security for all, protect our environment and biodiversity for future generations, and ensure that crops and plant products are traded safely to help boost economic growth. The International Plant Protection Convention Secretariat and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland partnered to gather the world’s best plant-health experts and advocates. The first and largest International Plant Health Conference 2022 was held in London on 21–23 September 2022 and aimed to address new and emerging plant-health challenges resulting from climate change, increased international trade, rapid loss of biodiversity, and new pest pathways such as e-commerce. Together we explored more efficient policies, advanced scientific solutions, and structures and mechanisms at the national, regional and global levels. Much work remains to protect our plants. We call on governments, legislators, policymakers and donors to invest in research, outreach and building the capacity of national plant protection organizations, and to strengthen pest monitoring and early-warning systems. We need all industry sectors and government partners to join forces and adhere to international plant-health standards to mutually protect our plants, food supplies, and economies. We need the public to be cautious when taking plants and plant products when travelling, as these could carry plant pests. Likewise, we should be aware, when buying plants and plant products online, that they should come with phytosanitary certificates that attest freedom from pests and that they meet phytosanitary import requirements. When we protect plants, we protect our health, our environment, our livelihoods, and our lives. 

Nicola Spence and Osama El-Lissy