Immediate action is required to tackle the drastic decline in bee colonies, Euro MPs have declared this week. The decline in the number of bees poses a threat not just to honey production, but to the pollination of plants and hence to food production, both in London and around the world.
At the annual Earthwatch debate this week, five eminent scientists declared bees to be the most invaluable species on the planet. Yet, earlier this year, the London Beekeepers Association reported that the bee population in London had fallen by around half in the last two years. A worrying statistic since three quarters of food production is dependent on bees and 84% of vegetables grown in Europe depend on pollination.
The European Parliament has now adopted a resolution pressing the Commission to invest in research to find the causes of the decline and to aid the creation of uncultivated ecological recovery zones for bees.
Jean Lambert MEP said:
"The decline in the bee population is of serious concern to bee-keepers and farmers, but also to allotment holders and gardeners, who rely on bees for pollination. In London we have a large and growing number of fruit and vegetable growers who may already be seeing the effects of the dwindling bee population.
"Threats to bees come from a variety of sources including the use of modified and treated seed, which produce less pollen and nectar, and a reduction of agricultural set-aside land. We need urgent action at all levels to address such issues if we are going to avoid a disaster in food production in the near future."
Notes
The MEPs are also calling for:
– investment in research into the parasites and diseases, which are decimating the bee population, as well as other potential causes such as erosion of genetic diversity and cultivation of genetically modified crops.
– research to establish whether there is a link between the use of pesticides, such as thiamethoxam, imidacloprid, clothianidin and fipronil, and bee mortality.
– analysis of imported honey to detect the presence of American foulbrood bacteria, which is known to effect honey bees.
– a financial aid mechanism for beekeepers in difficulty, and "immediate support" from Member States for the beekeeping sector.