Pivotal moment: WWF on fixing nature and pandemics together
The same forces driving increased pandemics are also furthering environmental degradation through climate change and biodiversity loss.*
Two for the price of one!
Human, animal and nature synergies
There is an opportunity to heal our relationship with nature and mitigate risks of future pandemics but a better future
Marco Lambertini, Director General of WWF International
As we are answering climate and coronavirus crises, we know collaborative solutions, thinking pattern shifts that enhance working together, are vital. Additionally, however, there physical linkages between problems such as pandemics and damaging nature.
In a new report, WWF documents how answering biodiversity stresses, e.g. through growing food while restoring nature, delivers multiple benefits including reducing the likelihood of new dangerous diseases. It finds that:
Tackling the key drivers of illegal and high-risk wildlife trade and by increasing the sustainability of food systems through eliminating deforestation and conversion from supply chains, stakeholders have the power to make transformative changes to reduce the impact of environmental drivers on human health.
Covid 19: Urgent call to protect people and nature, WWF
Fast change and two for the price of one!
We’ve shown that we can quickly change—on an individual and community scale they’ve are many great examples predating coronavirus. However, with COVID, collective responses scaled globally. One tangible measure is expenditure:
By the end of March 2020, over 100 countries worldwide had instituted comprehensive response programmes. Government investments in response and stimulus packages have been unprecedented, representing 20 per cent of GDP in Germany(€750 billion), to 10 per cent of GDP in the US (US$2 trillion).
On a government level, there is now the opportunity for New Deals for Nature and People—a nature-positive world. Many ideas that previously seemed marginal now appear to be more likely. Moreover, while this is about much more than money, the fact that the same forces driving increased pandemics are also furthering environmental degradation through climate change and biodiversity loss means we can make multiple beneficial shifts for the price of one.
Resources
Links and credits
The full report: Covid 19: Urgent call to protect people and nature, is here >
For more stories, articles and videos on covid and connected positive silver linings see the visual index on this page >
Pictures: Feature, padi field in Indonesia, Festina Lentívaldi, (be) Benevolution. Reuse: Creative Commons BY-NC 3.0 US. Orangutan in tree by Ludwig Kwan @kwan_perceives
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