Protecting environmental defenders to prevent pandemics
Although the jury remains out with regard to the origin of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic,1 this global health crisis is a stark reminder of the continuous threat of emerging infectious diseases, and the need to tackle their upstream drivers (eg, deforestation and illegal wildlife trade). However, pr...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2022
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| Online Access: | http://eprints.sunway.edu.my/2198/ http://eprints.sunway.edu.my/2198/1/Protecting%20environmental%20defenders%20to%20prevent%20pandemics.pdf |
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| author | Aruta, John Jamir Benzon R * Guinto, Renzo R * Clements, Gopalasamy Reuben * Jemilah, Mahmood * |
| author_facet | Aruta, John Jamir Benzon R * Guinto, Renzo R * Clements, Gopalasamy Reuben * Jemilah, Mahmood * |
| author_sort | Aruta, John Jamir Benzon R * |
| building | SU Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Although the jury remains out with regard to the origin of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic,1 this global health crisis is a stark reminder of the continuous threat of emerging infectious diseases, and the need to tackle their upstream drivers (eg, deforestation and illegal wildlife trade). However, proposals for preventing pandemics at the source2 tend to focus on high-level policies and actions, with relatively little support afforded to ground-level environmental defenders, who are arguably the most important front-line defence in stopping future zoonotic spillovers. Through sustained involvement in activities that reduce deforestation and biodiversity loss (eg, lobbying against powerful industries or politicians, and patrols to curb illegal harvesting), environmental defenders face increasing duress, ranging from occupational burnout to life-threatening attacks.3 Protecting the welfare of environmental defenders must be part of the solution to preventing future pandemics. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T21:19:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | sunway-2198 |
| institution | Sunway University |
| institution_category | Local University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T21:19:55Z |
| publishDate | 2022 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | sunway-21982023-05-17T09:25:08Z http://eprints.sunway.edu.my/2198/ Protecting environmental defenders to prevent pandemics Aruta, John Jamir Benzon R * Guinto, Renzo R * Clements, Gopalasamy Reuben * Jemilah, Mahmood * RA Public aspects of medicine Although the jury remains out with regard to the origin of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic,1 this global health crisis is a stark reminder of the continuous threat of emerging infectious diseases, and the need to tackle their upstream drivers (eg, deforestation and illegal wildlife trade). However, proposals for preventing pandemics at the source2 tend to focus on high-level policies and actions, with relatively little support afforded to ground-level environmental defenders, who are arguably the most important front-line defence in stopping future zoonotic spillovers. Through sustained involvement in activities that reduce deforestation and biodiversity loss (eg, lobbying against powerful industries or politicians, and patrols to curb illegal harvesting), environmental defenders face increasing duress, ranging from occupational burnout to life-threatening attacks.3 Protecting the welfare of environmental defenders must be part of the solution to preventing future pandemics. Elsevier 2022-06-13 Article PeerReviewed text en cc_by_nc_nd_4 http://eprints.sunway.edu.my/2198/1/Protecting%20environmental%20defenders%20to%20prevent%20pandemics.pdf Aruta, John Jamir Benzon R * and Guinto, Renzo R * and Clements, Gopalasamy Reuben * and Jemilah, Mahmood * (2022) Protecting environmental defenders to prevent pandemics. The Lancet Planetary Health, 6 (6). e458-e459. ISSN 2542-5196 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2542519622001218?via%3Dihub 10.1016/S2542-5196(22)00121-8 |
| spellingShingle | RA Public aspects of medicine Aruta, John Jamir Benzon R * Guinto, Renzo R * Clements, Gopalasamy Reuben * Jemilah, Mahmood * Protecting environmental defenders to prevent pandemics |
| title | Protecting environmental defenders to prevent pandemics |
| title_full | Protecting environmental defenders to prevent pandemics |
| title_fullStr | Protecting environmental defenders to prevent pandemics |
| title_full_unstemmed | Protecting environmental defenders to prevent pandemics |
| title_short | Protecting environmental defenders to prevent pandemics |
| title_sort | protecting environmental defenders to prevent pandemics |
| topic | RA Public aspects of medicine |
| url | http://eprints.sunway.edu.my/2198/ http://eprints.sunway.edu.my/2198/ http://eprints.sunway.edu.my/2198/ http://eprints.sunway.edu.my/2198/1/Protecting%20environmental%20defenders%20to%20prevent%20pandemics.pdf |