This weekend you can see a host of individuals dressed as bees in Parliament Square to protest biotech’s detrimental effect on the pollinators which are so important to our food supply. The activists involved in the event are trying to bring light to the decision of the UK parliament to allow farmers to spray toxic neonicotinoids on their crops. ‘Bee Against Monsanto London’ is helping to promote the event.
Neonicotinoid use in the UK was banned for a spell, but regulators bowed to biotech pressure, despite heaps of scientific evidence suggesting that the pesticides were detrimental to pollinator health and were contributing to bee colony collapse.
As reported by The Guardian:
“Farmers will be able to use blacklisted pesticides linked to serious harm in bees after the UK government temporarily lifted an EU ban.
Opponents called the decision ‘scandalous’ and criticised the government’s secrecy, which The Guardian revealed has included gagging its own expert advisers. But prime minister David Cameron defended the move. ‘We should follow the science,’ he said.
Bees and other pollinators are essential for many crops but are in decline due to pesticides, loss of habitat and disease. Over 500,000 people signed a petition opposing the suspension of the ban.”
Beekeeper Survey: “We’ve Lost 50% of Bee Colonies in the Last Year
Farmers are now allowed to use two new neonicotinoids on their crops for 120 days even though opponents have accused the Prime Minister of gagging its own scientific advisors about the topic.
The Parliament Square demonstration will be yet another cry for help on behalf of the bees, to accompany a petition which gained over half a million signatories who wanted to keep the ban on neonics in place, but were ignored.
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Featured image/photograph credit: Michael Kooren/Reuters