On September 6th 2021 the International Alliance against Health Risks in Wildlife Trade was officially launched at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Marseille. The Alliance is an inclusive and interdisciplinary platform, with the participation of already some 80 national and international political and civil society organizations, incl. indigenous communities, as well as scientific institutions.
The Alliance will translate the commitment and political will of its members by pooling interdisciplinary information and know-how. It will catalyze joint action by stakeholders from the fields of nature conservation, human and animal health as well as development cooperation and social sciences.
The session was recorded at the IUCN WCC on September 6th 2021 and attached you find a compilation of the event.
Recording of the official Launch of the International Alliance against Health Risks in Wildlife Trade at the IUCN WCC.
With this short film alliance members from around the globe share what it means to be part of this interdisciplinary platform and why they chose to join the International Alliance against Health Risks in Wildlife Trade.
Tuesday 28th September 12:00 – 13:30 CET Webinar hosted by MEP
About this Event
Wildlife around the globe is under intense pressure from human activity and over-exploitation.
Illegal and unsustainable wildlife trade, poor governance, and corruption have significant negative impacts on ecosystems (e.g. deforestation, forest degradation) and the loss of multiple wild species, affecting the integrity of whole ecosystems, contributing to climate change, and negatively impacting local livelihoods, economic development, and security.
The current COVID-19 pandemic and other disease outbreaks of zoonotic origin such as SARS and Ebola clearly demonstrate the critical need to apply a truly trans-sectoral One Health approach, as a matter of urgency. Efforts must be focused on preventing pandemics of zoonotic origin at their source – in other words, stopping them at the point of spillover of pathogens from animals to humans, well before they can become local outbreaks, epidemics, or global pandemics.
This webinar – organised by the MEPs for Wildlife in partnership with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), Humane Society International/Europe (HSI) and the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) – will discuss the on-the-ground impact of markets for live wildlife, particularly for human consumption, and associated wildlife trade (either from the wild or breeding facilities), the links to biodiversity, climate, security, and health and how to address these threats through an integrated One Health approach.
Programme
Welcome remarks
Hilde Vautmans, MEP, Chair of MEPs for Wildlife group
Short presentation
Prof. Dr. Chris Walzer, Executive Director, Health Program, Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)
Moderated panel discussion
• Jorge Rodriguez Romero, Deputy Head of Unit, Multilateral Environmental Cooperation, DG Environment
• Dr. Bernard Van Goethem, Director, Crisis preparedness in food, animals and plants, DG SANTE
. Dr. Anne-Lise Chaber, One Health expert, School of Animal and Veterinary Science, University of Adelaide
• Cristina Romanelli, Programme Officer for Biodiversity, Climate Change and Health, World Health Organization (WHO)
Moderator
Dr. Joanna Swabe, Senior Director of Public Affairs, Humane Society International – Europe
Concluding remarks
Catherine Bearder, former MEP and founding Chair of MEPs for Wildlife group
