Beyond COVID-19: Conserving nature to prevent the next pandemic

Author(s): Smiley Evans, Tierra; Grange, Zoe; Belkhiria, Jaber; Lane, Jennifer; Genovese, Brooke; Togami, Eri; Mazet, Jonna | Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has unimaginably changed our lives with long-lasting consequences for our society, environment and the global economy. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, is just one of the many pathogens that have already emerged in humans as a result of interactions with wildlife and is only one of the many to come if we do not reduce our impacts on natural systems. While the immediate priority is to tackle the COVID-19 public health emergency, our parallel and long-lasting response must focus on addressing the root causes of pandemics. Human and animal health are inextricably linked with the pathogens they carry and the ecosystems that are shared. The degradation of nature disturbs this delicate balance between microbes, their natural hosts, and environments—driving the emergence of disease.