On the basis of two studies that link bee population decline to a pesticide called neonicotinoid, public attention has turned to Bayer, the main company that makes and sells it. As a result, Bayer has had to put a motion on its Annual General Meeting agenda, that calls for the company to stop producing neonicotinoid.

Avaaz has a petition that people can sign, urging Bayer shareholders to pass the motion and stop the production of the pesticide. Over 968,000 people have signed the petition so far (09.10, 2nd May).When there are one million signatures, Avaaz will deliver  the petition to the Board of Management and Supervisory Board of Bayer, and will then also call for strong government regulation to save the bees.

France, Italy, Slovenia and Germany (where Bayer is based) have already banned one of these neonicotinoid pesticides. But Bayer continues to export it across the world. This is clearly wrong – if it’s banned in one place because it’s dangerous, then it shouldn’t be exported to other places.

photo credit: Julian Stratenschulte/European Press Agency/from NY Times website