As a gardener I love to see bees in the garden and I hope that I will now see even more after the European Union agreed to impose a two year ban on Neonicotinoids clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiametoxam.
I believe this decision is the right one.
Whilst yesterday's vote didn't obtain a majority - the UK didn't support a ban on Neonicotinoids as they felt the evidence against them was inconclusive - there was enough support from fifteen UE member countries to impose a ban on the use on Neonicotinoids on plants where bees are used as pollinators.
In the presence of doubt
Whilst researchers and scientists are not 100% sure that Neonicotinoids are totally responsible for the bee's decline, there is enough evidence to bring in this ban. We just cannot afford to wait another two years arguing the toss.
If the anti-Neonicotinoids lobby is wrong then the very worst outcome is a reduction in profits for the chemical companies.
If the anti-Neonicotinoids lobby is right then over the next two years we can hope to see the start of a recovery in bee colonies.
If there isn't a significant improvement in the health of bees then we must look at other possible causes of bees deaths, but in the meantime this ban buys researchers, and the bee population, some time.
I'm sure that the chemical companies are making enough profits from other chemicals to withstand the two year period.
I'm sure the debate about the viability of Neonicotinoids will continue but in the meantime let's hope the anti-Neonicotinoids argument is the right one.
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