Scientists have agreed that COVID-19, like HIV, Ebola, SARS and MERS before it, is a zoonotic disease – a virus that has jumped from animals to humans.
To help curb future pandemics, the trade and consumption of high-risk wildlife must be stopped. And we must also tackle the deforestation and environmental degradation that leads to risky interactions between humans and wildlife. Across social platforms and media outlets, our calls for urgent action by world leaders are being highlighted – from helping vulnerable communities affected by the current crisis to taking steps to reduce the risk of future pandemics, including working for a green and just recovery that sets people and planet on a sustainable path – and we are asking people around the world to support this. Read our report, which explains the links between the outbreak of zoonotic diseases and humanity’s broken relationship with nature.
