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

The authors 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.

This analysis reveals that the emergence of the current Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, in common with many past and likely future zoonotic diseases, has roots in ecosystem depletion. Degradation of ecosystems and their services simultaneously increases risks of subsequent human-to-human transmission and effective care of the infected. It also highlights that strategic response options must necessarily include regeneration of the foundational resources of ecosystems and their services for greater future human security.