Comment: Thriving ecosystems will improve human as well as planetary health

Emergence and spread of zoonotic diseases like Covid-19 are closely associated with the health of ecosystems

Scientists are also increasingly finding that ecological restoration, by reversing the threats to soil, biodiversity, water, and other ecosystem services, can deliver major health benefits.

Rising public health costs and the significant global disease burden — exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic — strengthen the case for the world to move toward ecological restoration. The benefits to planetary and human health will easily justify the cost.

Humanity currently faces multiple, interlinked existential crises. The catastrophic consequences of climate change, ecological degradation, and biodiversity loss have cascading knock-on effects on human health and wellbeing.