Click on the link to hear my 5 minute investigation for BBC World Service (broadcast on 20 March 2018) into what’s happening to our bees….
Bees have been buzzing from flower to plant collecting pollen and nectar for their hives for over 100,000,000 years – long before humans appeared. But since we have, their numbers have been in decline.
For awhile now campaigners believe that is no co-incidence, due to farming methods – especially in recent history with the global use of chemicals. It’s a £50 billion industry (Guardian March 2017) and manufacturers of insecticides fiercely defend their right to sell to farmers worldwide. Yet it’s argued by the Australian Academy of Science that bees are responsible for around $265 billion a year in crops. So what happens if they continue to disappear?
In Europe action’s being taken. There, a total ban on bee-harming pesticides is now looking likely as a study for the EU declares many pose a serious threat to the insects.
But as Mike Powell discovered, global chemical businesses aren’t happy…
(Broadcast on BBC World Service, ‘World Business Report’ on Tuesday, 20 March 2018)
Background image created by DesEYEns – Freepik.com
Hi Mike. I listened with interest to your report ‘re the decline of bees. It rang warning bells. I read this week that nerve agents were discovered by accident in 1930s by scientists who were trying to find effective pesticides. They proved to be highly toxic chemicals that ended up in the hands of German military. Russia US and UK started experiments on chemical agents after WW2.
I think we should all be afraid of what is next after the decline of the bees!!!
Thank you Mike a very interesting report. Hope to listen to more.
Thank you Mike for a great report.