Turns out ecologists and entomologists around the world have been warning about declining insect numbers for years. The culprits are climate change, habitat loss, light pollution, intensive farming, pesticide and fertiliser use. But it’s a struggle to get people to act.

It’s not just about bees and butterflies, the poster children of the pollinator world. Other, less photogenic pollinators such as hoverflies, moths, wasps, soldier beetles and earwigs are also showing declines. Several of these species don’t just pollinate. They also eat the pest insects that ruin crops.

Already, in the apple and pear orchards of south-west China, depleted populations of pollinators have forced farmers to hand-pollinate their trees, carrying pots of pollen and paintbrushes with which to individually pollinate every flower. If it sounds labour-intensive and time-consuming, that’s because it is.

#green #ukpolitics #uspol #ukpol #climate #environment #insects #agriculture #farming

https://archive.ph/tvnld#selection-1659.0-1668.2

Here's a list of everyone standing for election who has a Mastodon account:

https://candidates.democracyclub.org.uk/numbers/election/parl.2024-07-04/completeness?has_mastodon_username=yes

Only 11 candidates so far.

If you know of any others, please add it to their candidate page.

If you know of anyone standing, please encourage them to join the Fediverse.

#UKPolitics #GE2024

Cash-strapped councils may seek to put disabled people in residential care to save costs, without regard for their wishes

https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/disabled-rights-social-care-independent-living-budget-cuts-campaign/?utm_source=Mastodon&utm_medium=Mastodon

#ukpol #UKPolitics #disability

Care cuts threaten Disabled people’s right to independent living

Cash-strapped councils may seek to put us in residential care to save costs, without regard for our wishes

^{Mikey Erhardt (openDemocracy)}

The #PrivilegesCommittee report has its eyes on Boris Johnson. But the contempt for transparency and accountability goes beyond one person. It pervaded his government and those since.

#BorisJohnson has left a legacy of impunity and the legislative means to control it. This extends into threats to #humanrights, the courts and attempts to reduce electoral accountability.

ORG's Exec Director @jim explores the impact on our rights.

#ukpolitics

https://www.openrightsgroup.org/blog/impunity-pervades-post-johnson-government/

Impunity pervades post-Johnson Government

Johnson’s lack of candour might look like a personal phenomenon, but it was something which pervaded his government.

^{Open Rights Group}

🟠Solidarity demo for Just Stop Oil and open letter

Today in Helsinki by the 🇬🇧embassy!

🟠Read and sign our open letter - we demand release of JSO prisoners (who got 3yrs and 2yrs 7mths in prison) and express the concern for the new police laws in the UK which severely damage civil liberties.

🟠Please support the peaceful climate protestors, and uphold the right to protest.

https://www.facebook.com/events/226202056680702?

https://tinyurl.com/FreeMorganAndMarcus

#ClimateCrisis #JustStopOil #ukpolitics #democracy #justice #climate