Launch of the UNEP-ILRI report on "Preventing the Next Pandemic: Zoonotic Diseases and How to Break the Chain of Transmission"

The report « Preventing the Next Pandemic: Zoonotic Diseases and How to Break the Chain of Transmission » is now available. It has been co-produced by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), with the support of CEBioS, among others. Many thanks to DGD, MD8 for the facilitation to participate in this report.

The assessment finds that in recent decades there has been a surge in zoonotic diseases—potentially deadly pathogens that jump between animals and humans. COVID-19 is a prime example. But Ebola, SARS, Zika and West Nile Virus also have their origins in the animal world. In fact, 60 percent of the microbes that infect humans begin in animals.  

Our assessment finds that, unless we adopt an integrated approach to healthcare –one that takes into account people, animals and the environment– we'll face more potentially catastrophic outbreaks in the years to come.  

The report presents 10 key messages and identifies 10 key policy recommendations to help governments, businesses and other actors, not only to respond to and mitigate future disease outbreaks, but also to reduce the risk of their emergence.

You can download the full report here.