(Decanter) - The environmental impact of wine production is larger than you might think, and is a global cause for concern. Rupert Joy investigates the problem and looks at the measures being taken to find a lasting solution.

As the human population increases, changes in land use are destroying the world’s natural habitats. Widespread spraying of pesticides has been blamed for collapsing insect and bird numbers, while intensive use of herbicides and fungicides contaminates groundwater and degrades the soil, making it dependent on fertilisers.

With mounting evidence that agriculture is contributing to unprecedented biodiversity loss, concepts of environment stewardship and ‘regenerative agriculture’ are gaining ground. Research shows that beneficial insects such as bees and spiders, and birds and bats that feed on insects, are more numerous and diverse on untreated land than on land sprayed with chemicals, and that soils managed sustainably have more organic matter rich in microbiology.