In what is being seen as a shift in stance, Environment Secretary Michael Gove has announced that he will uphold the EU’s ban on neonicotinoids in the UK after Brexit takes effect, backing a total ban on the bee harming pesticides.
This overturn of the government’s previous opposition has been welcomed by campaigners, who have argued against claims made by farmers that the pesticides pose no threat to wildlife.
“The weight of evidence now shows the risks neonicotinoids pose to our environment, particularly to the bees and other pollinators which play such a key part in our £100bn food industry, is greater than previously understood,” said Mr Gove.
The UK’s new stance means that when the vote for a total ban on neonicotinoids outside of greenhouses goes before the European Commission in December, it is very likely to pass.
To find out what else you can do to help the UKs bees, visit the Friends of the Earth website here.It’s good news for the UK’s bees
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