Sustainability Seminar Series: A ‘Bee New Deal’ – Moving past socio-cultural challenges in pollinator conservation

Pollinator declines have become one of the most ubiquitous environmental problems discussed among policy-makers, ENGOs and the public over the past decade. As such, resource-intensive programs and policies have been developed to “save the bees.” However, these initiatives often focus on specific narratives influenced by industries which does not always align with the science. They also do not consider other knowledge systems nor do they use a social justice framework. Faculty of Environmental Studies Professor Sheila Colla will talk about where we’ve gone wrong in our attempts to save bees despite intense political and public will. She will explain how we can move forward to conserve them and the ecosystem services they provide.