COVID 19: URGENT CALL TO PROTECT PEOPLE AND NATURE

The report examines the link between environmental degradation and the rising frequency of zoonotic diseases, using COVID-19 as a primary example. It identifies land-use change for agriculture and the trade of high-risk wildlife as the primary drivers of pathogen spillover. The document proposes a 'New Deal for Nature and People' focusing on halting high-risk wildlife trade, eliminating deforestation from supply chains, and implementing a 'One Health' approach to economic recovery.

• Zoonotic diseases are emerging at an increasing rate, with approximately three to four new infectious diseases appearing annually, most of which originate from wildlife.
• The emergence of new zoonotic diseases is primarily driven by two environmental risks: the large-scale conversion of land for agriculture and the trade and consumption of high-risk wildlife species.
• Land conversion for food and livestock production has caused 70 per cent of planetary biodiversity loss and half of the global loss of tree cover to date.
• The economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is estimated to be between US$2.4 trillion and US$8.8 trillion in lost output.
• Pandemics disproportionately affect marginalized groups; for example, the COVID-19 infection rate in the Navajo Nation of North America was reported to be 10 times higher than that of the general population of Arizona.
• The report identifies specific high-risk taxa for zoonotic transfer, including rodents (85 known diseases), carnivores (83), primates (61), ungulates (52), bats (25), and shrews (21).
• Case studies illustrate the role of environmental drivers: the 2002-2003 SARS pandemic was linked to wildlife markets in China; Ebola outbreaks in West and Central Africa are linked to deforestation; and the 1998 Nipah virus outbreak in Malaysia resulted from intensified pig and mango production.
• Current global efforts to protect land are insufficient, with only 15 per cent of land area protected globally, falling short of the 17 per cent target set for 2020 by the Convention on Biological Diversity.
• WWF proposes a 'New Deal for Nature and People' with three primary goals: protecting and restoring natural habitats, safeguarding the diversity of life, and halving the footprint of production and consumption.
• The report advocates for a 'One Health' approach that integrates the health of humans, animals, and the shared environment into decision-making regarding land-use and wildlife.

APA

de Wit, W., Freschi, A., & Trench, E. (2020). COVID 19: URGENT CALL TO PROTECT PEOPLE AND NATURE. WWF International. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/497/4ts1zx54w7_FINAL_REPORT_EK_Rev_2X.pdf

Chicago

de Wit, Wijnand, Arianna Freschi, and Emily Trench. COVID 19: URGENT CALL TO PROTECT PEOPLE AND NATURE. WWF International, 2020. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/497/4ts1zx54w7_FINAL_REPORT_EK_Rev_2X.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=de Wit |first1=Wijnand |last2=Freschi |first2=Arianna |last3=Trench |first3=Emily |title=COVID 19: URGENT CALL TO PROTECT PEOPLE AND NATURE |publisher=WWF International |date=June 2020 |url=https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/497/4ts1zx54w7_FINAL_REPORT_EK_Rev_2X.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{dewit2020covid, author = {de Wit, Wijnand and Freschi, Arianna and Trench, Emily}, title = {{COVID 19: URGENT CALL TO PROTECT PEOPLE AND NATURE}}, institution = {WWF International}, year = {2020}, month = jun, url = {https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/497/4ts1zx54w7_FINAL_REPORT_EK_Rev_2X.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }