Nature Conservation Day: How man vs wild conflict gives birth to pandemics

A look at what nature has to do with the spread of diseases and how human exploitation has led to the mess our planet is in currently

The novel coronavirus has spread around the world at the speed of a lightning, killing over 650,000 and infecting 16.6 million people so far. According to scientists at Conservation International, there's a direct link between the destruction of nature and disease outbreaks. On the World Nature Conservation Day, let us understand what nature has to do with the spread of diseases and how human exploitation has led to the mess our planet is in currently.

Ecosystems and human body function similarly: When they are robust and healthy — which means when they have diverse species and space for healthy animal populations — ecosystems are less likely to be a source of diseases. According to researchers, as the global wildlife trade persists and human activities expand deeper into forests, humans are increasing their exposure to wild animals and the diseases they might carry. When mining and logging degrade or destroy wildlife habitats, animals are forced into different or smaller areas, which is more likely to make them stressed and sick. In due course, they are likely to come into contact with people and domestic animals, driving the transmission of diseases from wildlife to humans. Covid-19 is just the latest and most widespread of these zoonotic pandemics, following SARS, MERS and Ebola.

Scientists are of the opinion that coronavirus-like outbreaks might become more frequent due to the increasing destruction of nature.

So, what can we take away from this?

There are two main ways that our impact on the environment is increasing the threat of pandemics like the current coronavirus outbreak.

1. With growing human settlements and land-clearing for agriculture, the transition zones between different ecosystems have grown. This leads to species from different habitats mixing and interacting with each other in new ways. These new contacts provide new opportunities for diseases to jump between species, as coronavirus did.

2. An important driver for the emergence of zoonotic disease is biodiversity loss.

What can be done to create a balance and a healthy ecosystem?

If there could ever be a silver lining to the dark cloud that is the coronavirus, it is this: The pandemic might drive some action to address the underlying drivers of disease emergence, including ecosystem degradation and biodiversity loss.

A few points we must consider as we plan a healthy and more diverse ecosystem:

1. Expanding cities must prioritise existing green spaces and building new ones within the city boundaries.

2. Enforcement and strengthening of environmental regulations to protect or restore biodiverse areas will be crucial.

3. Strategies that help build the world back after coronavirus must evolve around sustainable development to ensure multiple global goals, such as combating climate change and reducing natural hazard risks.

4. Nature Conservation: Ecosystems are built to maintain a balance between species and diseases in a very natural way. Thus, animals must be allowed to dwell in their natural habitat.

5. Stopping illegal wildlife trade