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The role of ecosystems in mitigation and management of Covid-19 and other zoonoses

Everard, Mark; Johnston, Paul; Santillo, David; Staddon, Chad

Authors

Mark Everard Mark.Everard@uwe.ac.uk
Associate Professor in Ecosystem Services

Paul Johnston

David Santillo

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Chad Staddon Chad.Staddon@uwe.ac.uk
Professor/Associate Head of Department: Research and Scholarship



Abstract

There is rising international concern about the zoonotic origins of many global pandemics. Increasing human-animal interactions are perceived as driving factors in pathogen transfer, emphasising the close relationships between human, animal and environmental health. Contemporary livelihood and market patterns tend to degrade ecosystems and their services, driving a cycle of degradation in increasingly tightly linked socio-ecological systems. This contributes to reductions in the natural regulating capacities of ecosystem services to limit disease transfer from animals to humans. It also undermines natural resource availability, compromising measures such as washing and sanitation that may be key to managing subsequent human-to-human disease transmission. Human activities driving this degrading cycle tend to convert beneficial ecosystem services into disservices, exacerbating risks related to zoonotic diseases. Conversely, measures to protect or restore ecosystems constitute investment in foundational capital, enhancing their capacities to provide for greater human security and opportunity. We use the DPSIR (Drivers-Pressures-State change-Impact-Response) framework to explore three aspects of zoonotic diseases: (1) the significance of disease regulation ecosystem services and their degradation in the emergence of Covid-19 and other zoonotic diseases; and of the protection of natural resources as mitigating contributions to both (2) regulating human-to-human disease transfer; and (3) treatment of disease outbreaks. From this analysis, we identify a set of appropriate response options, recognising the foundational roles of ecosystems and the services they provide in risk management. Zoonotic disease risks are ultimately interlinked with biodiversity crises and water insecurity. The need to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic ongoing at the time of writing creates an opportunity for systemic policy change, placing scientific knowledge of the value and services of ecosystems at the heart of societal concerns as a key foundation for a more secure future. Rapid political responses and unprecedented economic stimuli reacting to the pandemic demonstrate that systemic change is achievable at scale and pace, and is also therefore transferrable to other existential, global-scale threats including climate change and the ‘biodiversity crisis’. This also highlights the need for concerted global action, and is also consistent with the duties, and ultimately the self-interests, of developed, donor nations.

Citation

Everard, M., Johnston, P., Santillo, D., & Staddon, C. (2020). The role of ecosystems in mitigation and management of Covid-19 and other zoonoses. Environmental Science and Policy, 111, 7-17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2020.05.017

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date May 21, 2020
Online Publication Date May 26, 2020
Publication Date Sep 1, 2020
Deposit Date May 22, 2020
Publicly Available Date Jun 11, 2020
Journal Environmental Science and Policy
Print ISSN 1462-9011
Electronic ISSN 1873-6416
Publisher Elsevier
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 111
Pages 7-17
DOI https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2020.05.017
Keywords Zoonotic diseases; ecosystem services; water security; DPSIR; socio-ecological systems; regeneration
Public URL https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/5994652

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