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Scientific experts have warned that deadly pandemics（流病）are likely to keep happening if action is not taken to protect natural environments. The warning came in a report from the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, an international expert group that advises governments. The group has more than 130 member states.
The experts called for major efforts aimed at preventing pandemics rather than trying to contain them after they happen. The report urges major worldwide efforts to stop habitat destruction that can lead viruses to jump from wild animals to humans.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has estimated that three out of every four new or emerging infectious diseases in people come from animals. Scientists have said COVID-19 probably started in bats and began spreading
among humans.
In their report, the experts predict that about half of an estimated 1.7 million undiscovered viruses in nature might be able to infect people. Activities such as poaching（偷猎）or clearing forests to grow soy or palm oil can bring humans and disease closer together.
Peter Daszak was the report's lead writer. He is president of Eco-Health Alliance, an international health, environment and development organization. He said in a statement that even though the experts call for urgent action, "this report is not a misfortune suggesting the world's going to end and it's too late." Instead, Daszak said it should be seen as "an optimistic call for action."
He noted that the current method for dealing with pandemics is to wait for them to emerge and then try to identify them before they spread. COVID-19 has demonstrated the problems with that plan. Officials attempted to contain COVID-19 after the disease was discovered last year, but it was already too late. "And here we are waiting for a vaccine（疫苗）and drugs to work," Daszak said. "It's not a good strategy. We need to do more."
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