Reception on One Health and Pandemic Prevention 

The Wildlife Conservation Society EU Office (WCS EU), the Belgian One Health Network, the PREZODE Initiative, and the Czech Presidency of the Council of the European Union organised on September 19th, 2022, a special reception to discuss the importance of the One Health approach and the critical need to include ‘prevention at source’ in the new World Health Organization (WHO) instrument to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness and response. 

In December 2021, the World Health Assembly agreed to launch a global process to draft and negotiate a convention, agreement or other international instrument under the Constitution of the WHO to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness and response. Efforts are well underway, with negotiations expected to begin in December 2022 and consensus text anticipated by March 2024.

Recent studies show that the single most effective and cost-effective way to prevent pandemics is to avoid pathogen spillover to humans, wildlife, and other animals in the first place, referred to as pandemic prevention at source. The science is clear that pandemics of zoonotic origin, such as COVID-19, are directly related to the increased human/wildlife interface caused by land-use change, in particular the destruction of intact ecosystems; deforestation and forest degradation; and the role of urban markets in live wild birds and mammals and wildlife farm.

This reception is part of our support to the development of this WHO instrument and aimed to present pandemic prevention at source in more detail, hold a productive discussion with government officials and key stakeholders, and answer any questions.

PROGRAMME AND SPEAKERS

Keynote addresses

• Ms. Zakia Khattabi - Federal Minister of Climate, Environment, Sustainable Development and Green Deal, Belgium (01:24 - 06:11)
• Ms. Stéphanie Seydoux - Ambassador for Global Health, France (06:22 - 11:31)
• Mr. Ladislav Miko - Advisor to the Minister of Environment and Special Envoy for International Negotiations, Czech Republic (11:54 - 15:52)

Presentation and Q&A

• Dr. Susan Lieberman - Vice President, International Policy, WCS (16:20 - 29:40)

Closing remarks

• Dr. Hilde Eggermont - Strategic Coordinator at the Belgian Biodiversity Platform, Biodiversa+ Chair & Coordinator, IPBES Belgian Focal Point (30:50 - 32:22)

The video recording of the event is accessible here.

For more information, please contact:

Arnaud Goessens - Associate Director, EU Policy: agoessens@wcs.org

READ MORE

Pandemic prevention at source
Links between Ecological Integrity and Human Health
Best Practices to Confront Pandemics at the Source
WCS Recommendations to Reduce Pandemic Risk