In the 2019 season of RTÉ’s long-standing series Eco Eye, Duncan Stewart is joined by ecologist Anja Murray and Dr. Lara Dungan as they investigate critical environmental issues.
.@EcoEye returns tonight for our 17th season. 75% of insects have been lost worldwide since the 1970's and tonight we focus on our greatest allies; Pollinators. Join @MiseAnja at 7pm on @rteone as she investigates the 'Plight of the Bumblebee' pic.twitter.com/6EbUoILiYx
— The Eco-Eye team (@EcoEye) January 8, 2019
Last year, RTÉ News reported that Christian Aid had published a report stating that 10 of the most destructive droughts, floods, fires, typhoons and hurricanes in 2018 caused damage of more than $1bn (€878m). All of which were linked to climate change caused by humans, the report argued.
With this in mind, it is encouraging to see the Eco Eye team dedicating their newest series to investigating where climate change is headed, what it means for Ireland and what exactly we can do about it.
#Homeless, starving from our "tidiness" culture and #poisoned from our #pesticide use are just some of the causes for the decline in our #bee species. Anja meets with Professor Jane Stout to discuss what threats our bees are under Tomorrow RTÉ One 7pm @JaneCStout pic.twitter.com/YDLXDdAHmG
— The Eco-Eye team (@EcoEye) January 7, 2019
In tonight's episode, Anja Murray investigates pollinators (a creature that moves pollen from the male anther of a flower to the female stigma of a flower) and the pesticides, pollution, habitat loss and climate change that threaten them.
Bee pollination is responsible for much of the world’s food production, without bees much of our food production systems would collapse.
In Ireland alone, over half the native species have declined since the 1980s, with 30% now facing extinction. So what can we do to help save these tiny yet essential creatures?
Dr. Tomás Murray, senior ecologist at the @BioDataCentre will discuss matters relating to the "Plight of the Bumblebee" and how you can get involved in monitoring these critical biological indicators on tonight's episode of @EcoEye on @RTEOne at 7pm. Don't miss it! #pollinators pic.twitter.com/H1L87PK9c6
— Biodiversity Ireland (@BioDataCentre) January 8, 2019
Anja speaks with experts including botanist Jane Stout and Dr. Dara Stanley to find out the gravity of the situation, learning about the impacts of pesticides, human activity and climate change on our pollinators.
Finally, we will look at citizen scientist projects such as the National Bumblebee Monitoring Scheme with National Biodiversity Centre, where volunteers scour the countryside counting bees to verify their numbers. But can these endeavours make a difference?
Watch Eco Eye on Tuesday 8th January, 7PM, RTÉ One ’