Dear Greta Thunberg, Bavaria is taking real action to protect biodiversity:

From tomorrow 31 January until 13 February, voters across Bavaria have the opportunity to enshrine the protection of biodiversity, elimination of pesticides and increase of organic farming in the constitution.

If during the 2 week period 10% of the Bavarian electorate (just under 1 million) go to their local town hall and sign in support of the Referendum for Biodiversity – Save the Bees” (Volksbegehren Artenvielfalt), the government can either accept it or put forward its own proposal. Then it has to put both proposal to the electorate for the final vote (Volksentscheid).

If the bill becomes law, it will have far reaching consequences for the protection of nature, biodiversity and the promotion of small-scale sustainable farming – not just across Bavaria and Germany, but the whole of the European Union and shape its new agricultural policies.

The referendum is carried by a huge alliance across the whole of society, including scientists, businesses, artists, political parties, schools, religious institutions and interest groups. Concern for nature is bringing people together.

I know we need to do much much more to protect our natural resource and get a handle on climate change. But it is a big step in the right direction.

Tomorrow morning I will be on the doorstep of my local town hall when it opens and sign in. If you are a voter in Bavaria and eligible to vote, please join the cause.

Judith, 30. January 2019

Link to website “Referendum for Biodiversity – Save the Bees”: https://volksbegehren-artenvielfalt.de

Here’s why the world-renown Max-Plank-Institute is part of the alliance: https://www.mpg.de/12681256/voksbegehren-artenvielfalt

Terrific report on Germany’s powerful agricultural lobby and its promotion of industrialised farming to the detriment of small scale farming and organic food production: https://www.daserste.de/information/reportage-dokumentation/dokus/videos/akte-d-folge-1-video-100.html

#gretathunberg #biodiversity #climateaction #referendum #Bavaria #bees #noplanetB #sustainability