Climate change puts bees and pollinating insects at risk
Climate change and the use of pesticides are killing the world’s bee population, endangering the survival of global agriculture.
A bee sits on a Cempasuchil Marigold during the harvesting process; a flower used during Mexico's Day of the Dead celebrations in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico on October 21, 2017.
Scientists believe that climate change is increasing the risk of extinction for bees and other pollinating insects.
A decline in the world’s bee population would have catastrophic results. Pollinating insects play a critical role in the world’s food supply. Without them, crops would simply not grow, threatening global food stocks.
“Bees react to climate change. Sudden fluctuations in weather can affect the bee very badly. In the past there weren't this many deaths. Now out of nowhere, we're losing our bees sometimes. There are many reasons for it, be it pesticides or loss of variety in the flowers due to climate change,” Turkish beekeper, Mehmet Kurtulus said.
Some groups are pushing back against the threats facing bees. In 2013, the European Union placed heavy restrictions on three of the most widely used pesticides in flowering crops.
But countering climate change remains a challenge.
TRT World's Francis Collings has more.
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