United Nations Sounds Alarm Over Vanishing Bees

By majestic on March 10, 2011 in News 23

disinformation readers have been aware of the frighteningly rapid onset of Colony Collapse Disorder for some time, and indeed here at disinfo we’ve allied with filmmakers George Langworthy and Maryam Henein to help distribute their superb film Vanishing of the Bees. The United Nations will be supporting the release of the film including screenings around World Environment Day (June 5), and are putting the word out on what is a very, very serious issue (as a reminder, commercial honeybee operations pollinate crops that make up one out of every three bites of food on our tables). From AFP via Yahoo News:

GENEVA (AFP) – The UN on Thursday expressed alarm at a huge decline in bee colonies under a multiple onslaught of pests and pollution, urging an international effort to save the pollinators that are vital for food crops.

Much of the decline, ranging up to 85 percent in some areas, is taking place in the industrialised northern hemisphere due to more than a dozen factors, according to a report by the UN’s environmental agency.

They include pesticides, air pollution, a lethal pinhead-sized parasite that only affects bee species in the northern hemisphere, mismanagement of the countryside, the loss of flowering plants and a decline in beekeepers in Europe.

“The way humanity manages or mismanages its nature-based assets, including pollinators, will in part define our collective future in the 21st century,” said UNEP executive director Achim Steiner.
“The fact is that of the 100 crop species that provide 90 percent of the world’s food, over 70 are pollinated by bees,” he added.

Wild bees and especially honey bee colonies from hives are regarded as the most prolific pollinators of large fields or crops.

Overall, pollinators are estimated to contribute 153 billion euros ($212 billion) worldwide or 9.5 percent of the total value of food production, especially fruit and vegetables, according to the report.

Honey bee colony declines in recent years have reached 10 to 30 percent in Europe, 30 percent in the United States,and up to 85 percent in Middle East, said scientist Peter Neumann, one of the authors of the first ever UN report on the issue…

[continues at AFP via Yahoo News]

Bees, Colony Collapse Disorder, Environment, Food, United Nations

Anonymous

I think many of us were taught to think of bees as dangerous pests, not as workers on the chain gang of life.
Our attitudes as humans toward nature have been arrogant and un-harmonious to say the least -no wonder the bees are going away.
…..and the wonderful and responsive U.N. suddenly decides this is important. It becomes apparent that many of us may be doomed to extinction if we wait around for “too little-too late” reports like this one from the U.N.
GoodDoktorBad

I think many of us were taught to think of bees as dangerous pests, not as workers on the chain gang of life.
Our attitudes as humans toward nature have been arrogant and un-harmonious to say the least -no wonder the bees are going away.
…..and the wonderful and responsive U.N. suddenly decides this is important. It becomes apparent that many of us may be doomed to extinction if we wait around for “too little-too late” reports like this one from the U.N.
Anonymous

Bees are the key part in the fertilization and pollunation of most wild plants. We need to seriously wake up and start protecting the true owners of this planet.
Investinourftre

Bees are the key part in the fertilization and pollunation of most wild plants. We need to seriously wake up and start protecting the true owners of this planet.
WhiteRose

Seinfeld sounded the alarm years ago. All these cell phones and wi=fi i-phone things are ruining humans. God only knows what they are doing to poor tiny little bees systems.
WhiteRose

Seinfeld sounded the alarm years ago. All these cell phones and wi=fi i-phone things are ruining humans. God only knows what they are doing to poor tiny little bees systems.
Threedinium

“Too little too late” is damn right. No meteor, no second coming, no tidal wave. Just us and our lethal stupidity.
Threedinium

“Too little too late” is damn right. No meteor, no second coming, no tidal wave. Just us and our lethal stupidity.
- dddjjj
  
  raise some fucking bees and get off your computer
  - Anonymous
    
    Uhuh. How about you then?
dddjjj

raise some fucking bees and get off your computer
Anonymous

Uhuh. How about you then?
Obviousprostitute

Nicotinoid pesticides…
Obviousprostitute

Nicotinoid pesticides…
5by5

This was the thing Einstein feared more than nuclear war.
- theworldwemade
  
  Einstein never said anything about bees, as far as I can determine. It’s an apocryphal quote.
5by5

This was the thing Einstein feared more than nuclear war.
!llsh!eld

maybe monsanto can help with some modifications… -.-
!llsh!eld

maybe monsanto can help with some modifications… -.-
!llsh!eld

maybe monsanto can help with some modifications… -.-
Uncle B

Until it is in the corporate best interest, nothing can be done – they own the U.S.A. Their lobbyists outweigh to popular vote. Their capital and its use – in the best interests of the shareholders – remain the law in America. No ROI (Return On Investment) advantage, no bottom line improvements, no reason to change! The laws of incorporation are written this way and upheld by U.S. law.
Uncle B

Until it is in the corporate best interest, nothing can be done – they own the U.S.A. Their lobbyists outweigh to popular vote. Their capital and its use – in the best interests of the shareholders – remain the law in America. No ROI (Return On Investment) advantage, no bottom line improvements, no reason to change! The laws of incorporation are written this way and upheld by U.S. law.
theworldwemade

Einstein never said anything about bees, as far as I can determine. It’s an apocryphal quote.