Dear Colleagues and Alliance members,
As the world still has to deal with the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, one critical question comes to everyone’s mind: How can we effectively prevent the next potential pandemic? The urgency to answer this question has never been greater and one important approach that could potentially prevent zoonotic spillovers is still underrepresented in science and policy.
We are delighted to invite you to the:
‘Bridging the Gap to Prevent the Next Pandemic: Exploring the Connections Between Large-Scale Development, Ecological Fragilization, Biodiversity Loss, and Zoonotic Disease Emergence’ by Dr. Johannes Refisch.
Protecting balanced ecosystems is essential for mitigating the global health risks posed by emerging infectious diseases. Rapid changes to ecosystems, including those driven by large-scale development, often result in instability and fragilization, which are recognized as significant contributors to zoonotic disease risks. While increased human-wildlife contact is frequently highlighted, habitat degradation through anthropogenic disturbances that undermine ecosystem resilience and reduce biodiversity has been independently linked to increased zoonotic disease risks.
By examining case studies, the session will highlight how disruptions to ecosystems and reductions in biodiversity can elevate zoonotic disease risks. The discussion will offer actionable recommendations for integrating the biodiversity-health nexus into development planning, emphasizing the importance of monitoring both human and wildlife health as essential components of sustainable development strategies designed to prevent future pandemics.
Click here to join the meeting
About the Speaker: Dr. Johannes Refisch
Johannes leads the secretariat for the Great Apes Survival Partnership (GRASP), a unique alliance of member nations, research institutions, conservation organizations, United Nations agencies and private supporters that is based at UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme) headquarters in Nairobi.
Johannes has a Diploma degree in animal ecology and has held scientific positions in Germany, Switzerland and the United States. He was co-director of the Tai Monkey Project in Cote d’Ivoire, and the results of his PhD work in 2001 resulted in a Research Conservation Award from the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and the Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques.
Johannes relocated to East Africa in 2005, and worked as a programme manager for the International Gorilla Conservation Programme (IGCP), then joined GRASP in 2006. He is a member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Primate Specialist Group and the IUCN Transboundary Conservation Specialist Group. He has a wide experience in natural resource management (NRM) and assisted GTZ (German Techncial Cooperation), IGCP, WWF and UNEP in designing, supervising and implementing NRM projects.