by Shannon Osaka, Grist
Highlights
- Preventing forest destruction, ending wildlife trading, and surveillance measures on emerging diseases before they spread are the tactics scientists are hoping will prevent the next pandemic, as published in the nature journal Science
- Forest destruction, particularly in tropical areas, causes animals to venture into human-populated areas in search of a new habitat to call home, increasing the risk of human to animal disease transfer
- Wildlife is sometimes sold near livestock, creating an environment where species to species diseases can be spread
- Many policies are being passed to keep high-risk animals that are likely to carry diseases out of food markets
- Aaron Bernstein, a contributing author of the paper, recommends governments monitor disease “hot spots” and administer tests on people who regularly work with livestock
- The total costs for these prevention efforts could be between $22 and $31 billion a year
- Comparatively, government spending on the pandemic worldwide has cost over $9 trillion
- These prevention efforts would also yield environmental benefits such as the preservation of tropical forests that help sequester carbon from the atmosphere
Preserving and managing wildlands for carbon sequestration and resilience is a key strategy in The Climate Center’s Climate-Safe California Platform.
Nina Turner
Energy Programs and Communications CoordinatorJanina is a graduate of the Energy Management and Design program at Sonoma State University with experience in non-profits that specialize in sustainability and volunteerism.
