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The neonicotinoids story is being reported on in a misleading way as to what the damage is that it will cause. Since the proposed rule relaxation is to use them to treat seed, it doesn't pose much risk to bees. However, neonicotinoids do not biodegrade and wash into groundwater
We still don't know a lot about the long term impact on our environment of use of these pesticides. However, many countries within the EU are already using them to treat beet seed due to an aphid-borne virus pandemic
I think allowing the pesticide to be used is bad, because 1) we do not want it in our environment at all, 2) the dead aphids are going to have to go somewhere too, 3) making these pesticides available is going to encourage people to misuse them, or use them to get around the ban
But the restrictions on neonicotinoid use that already exist will still hold apart from this one exception, which is temporary to deal with the virus. In terms of the law, it is still illegal to spray trees, flowering crop fields etc with neonicotinoids.
Worth getting angry about, but not worth panicking. The bees will probably be fine so long as everyone sticks to the rules. But less sexy species like beetles, soil and water-dwelling minibeasts etc are not going to be so lucky, and we still do not know the effect on groundwater
