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Slovenia Weekly: It's all about the bees

pixabay/mammiya

It seems spring is playing games with us this year. February was too warm, then weeks later there was heavy frost. April was too cold, only rain, rain, rain with snow on hilltops. Meteorologists say we are experiencing the coldest spring in twenty years. And again, we can only silently note that climate change is a fact, here and now, not just something in a distant future.

On World Bee Day, we can witness how bees are becoming of the most obvious and direct victims of climate changes, at least in Slovenian environment. Due to the cold and rainy spring this year, they have been unable to gather their own food, and many colonies would die without human intervention.

Beekeeping has a long tradition in Slovenia and is very widespread, both as a professional and amateur activity. That is why Slovenia encouraged the world to declare 20 May World Bee Day. Bees pollinate three-quarters of plants, giving 90 percent of our food. Climate change is not only affecting bees but is causing havoc for many insect pollinator species.

For a long time, we did not realize how thoroughly these tiny creatures are embedded in natural ecosystems, it is high time we shed the human arrogance of superiority and help nature to re-establish balance. We are a part of the biosphere – whether we like it or not, like the bees, we too survive or disappear embedded within it. A tiny virus showed us this fact quite clearly last year.

  • honey 823614 1920 (Simbolic photo)

    In Slovenia, the honey self-sufficiency rate in 2019 was 44% lower than in 2018

    21. 5. 2021

    In 2019, the world honey yield was 173% higher than in 1961. In 2019, 10,145 beekeepers in Slovenia were taking care of 208,000 hives (3,245 organic), each an average of 21 hives. In 2019, Slovenian beekeepers produced 650 tons of honey, 63% less than in 2018.
  • MINISTER (Minister in front of slovenian flag)

    Interview with Minister Jože Podgoršek on World Bee Day

    20. 5. 2021

    Today is World Bee Day. We welcome you to read an Interview with minister Podgoršek on World Bee Day.
  • Mateja Logar (Head of the advisory group at the Ministry of Health Mateja Logar)

    Good vaccination coverage among people in the 70+ age group

    21. 5. 2021

    Epidemiological data this week show a significant slowdown in the epidemic in Slovenia: number of infections is decreasing and so is the the pressure on hospitals. The eyes of the public and the authorities are therefore focused on the preparations for the autumn.
  • PV Janša v pogovorih z Merkel (A videoconference talk between PM Janša and and German Chancellor Merkel)

    Prime Minister Janez Janša in talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel

    17. 5. 2021

    Prime Minister Janez Janša had a videoconference talk today with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. They discussed the state of pandemic, which is slowing down in both countries, the vaccination process as well as future challenges. Of particular importance among the latter are combating the new mutations, facilitating the logistics of vaccine distribution and implementing vaccination in less developed countries when there is a plentiful supply of vaccines, a situation which is expected towards the end of this year.
  • Maas Logar  tiskovna (press conference, standing with flags behind)

    Minister Logar visits Berlin

    19. 5. 2021

    As part of the regular political dialogue, Minister Logar met with his host, German Federal Foreign Minister Heiko Maas. They talked about activities aimed at enhancing political and economic relations between Slovenia and Germany, with particular focus on strengthening cooperation within the framework of the EU in the light of the upcoming Slovenian EU Council Presidency.