Bees at risk, World Day on May 20

World Bee Day was established by the UN General Assembly on 20 May.
A date that this year can be celebrated by signing the European Citizens' Initiative (Ice) "Save Bees and Farmers! Towards bee-friendly agriculture for a healthy environment". Ice is a proposal for a European popular initiative directive: it is presented to the European Parliament if it reaches one million signatures in at least 7 EU countries. The initiative is also promoted by Cambia la Terra, the project wanted by FederBio and supported by Legambiente, Lipu, Doctors for the environment and WWF.

The request of the ICE is to completely eliminate synthetic pesticides from the fields by 2035, starting from the most dangerous substances, with a first step of 80% to 2030. It is also asked to restore natural ecosystems in agricultural areas, because the agriculture can become a driving force for the recovery of biodiversity. The Ice proposes to reform the sector, giving priority to organic and small-scale, diversified and sustainable agriculture.

Bees are increasingly threatened by pesticides, pollution and climate change. In Europe, one in ten species is at risk of extinction. Still, bees guarantee the reproduction of 78% of the wild flower species and 84% of the species cultivated in the European Union.

Much of the fruit and vegetables consumed in the Old Continent depend on bees. Their decline therefore also has a direct consequence on the economy: European agricultural production made possible thanks to pollinators is worth € 15 billion a year. (HANDLE).