Editing Deforestation (section)

==== Infectious diseases ====
Deforestation eliminates a great number of species of plants and animals which also often results in exposure of people to [[Zoonosis|zoonotic diseases]].<ref name="FAO & UNEP-2020" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration|url=https://www.decadeonrestoration.org/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://doi.org/10.4060/ca9456en|title=Global emergence of infectious diseases: links with wild meat consumption, ecosystem disruption, habitat degradation and biodiversity loss|publisher=FAO|year=2020|isbn=978-92-5-132818-7|location=Rome|doi=10.4060/ca9456en|s2cid=240645073}}</ref> Forest-associated diseases include malaria, Chagas disease (also known as American trypanosomiasis), African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness), leishmaniasis, Lyme disease, HIV and Ebola.<ref name="FAO & UNEP-2020" /> The majority of new infectious diseases affecting humans, including the [[SARS-CoV-2|SARS-CoV-2 virus]] that caused the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], are zoonotic and their emergence may be linked to habitat loss due to forest area change and the expansion of human populations into forest areas, which both increase human exposure to wildlife.<ref name="FAO & UNEP-2020" />

Deforestation has been coupled with an increase in the occurrence of disease outbreaks. In [[Malaysia]], thousands of acres of forest have been cleared for pig farms. This has resulted in an increase in the spread of the [[Nipah virus]].<ref>[http://thebulletin.org/deforestation-and-emerging-diseases Deforestation and emerging diseases|Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists]. Thebulletin.org (15 February 2011). Retrieved 13 November 2016.</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last1=Lam|first1=Sai Kit|last2=Chua|first2=Kaw Bing|year=2002|title=Nipah Virus Encephalitis Outbreak in Malaysia|journal=Clinical Infectious Diseases|volume=34|pages=S48–51|doi=10.1086/338818|pmid=11938496|doi-access=free}}</ref> In [[Kenya]], deforestation has led to an increase in malaria cases which is now the leading cause of morbidity and mortality the country.<ref>[http://www.african-politics.com/tag/environmental-impact-of-deforestation-in-kenya/ African Politics Portal|Tag Archive|Environmental impact of deforestation in Kenya] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160413022408/http://www.african-politics.com/tag/environmental-impact-of-deforestation-in-kenya/|date=13 April 2016}}. African-politics.com (28 May 2009). Retrieved 13 November 2016.</ref><ref>[http://kff.org/news-summary/2014-kenya-economic-survey-marks-malaria-as-countrys-leading-cause-of-death/ 2014 Kenya Economic Survey Marks Malaria As Country’s Leading Cause Of Death|The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation]. Kff.org (1 May 2014). Retrieved 13 November 2016.</ref> A 2017 study found that deforestation substantially increased the incidence of malaria in Nigeria.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Julia|first1=Berazneva|last2=Byker|first2=Tanya S.|date=1 May 2017|title=Does Forest Loss Increase Human Disease? Evidence from Nigeria|journal=American Economic Review|language=en|volume=107|issue=5|pages=516–521|doi=10.1257/aer.p20171132|pmid=29557569|issn=0002-8282}}</ref>

Another pathway through which deforestation affects disease is the relocation and dispersion of disease-carrying hosts. This disease emergence pathway can be called "[[Colonisation (biology)|range expansion]]", whereby the host's range (and thereby the range of pathogens) expands to new geographic areas.<ref>{{Cite journal|title=Range Expansion and Population Dynamics of an Invasive Species: The Eurasian Collared-Dove (''Streptopelia decaocto'')|journal=PLOS ONE|volume=9|issue=10|pages=e111510|doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0111510|pmid=25354270|year=2014|last1=Scheidt|first1=Spencer N.|last2=Hurlbert|first2=Allen H.|pmc=4213033|bibcode=2014PLoSO...9k1510S|doi-access=free}}</ref> Through deforestation, hosts and reservoir species are forced into neighboring habitats. Accompanying the reservoir species are pathogens that have the ability to find new hosts in previously unexposed regions. As these pathogens and species come into closer contact with humans, they are infected both directly and indirectly. Another example of range expansion due to deforestation and other [[Anthropogenic hazard|anthropogenic]] habitat impacts includes the [[Capybara]] rodent in [[Paraguay]].<ref>[http://news.mongabay.com/2010/12/deforestation-sparks-giant-rodent-invasions/ Deforestation sparks giant rodent invasions]. News.mongabay.com (15 December 2010). Retrieved 13 November 2016.</ref>

According to the [[World Economic Forum]], 31% of [[Emerging infectious disease|emerging diseases]] are linked to deforestation.<ref>{{cite book|title=Outbreak Readiness and Business Impact Protecting Lives and Livelihoods across the Global Economy|date=January 2019|publisher=World Economic Forum, Harvard Global Health Institute|page=7|url=http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF%20HGHI_Outbreak_Readiness_Business_Impact.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190121175911/http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF%20HGHI_Outbreak_Readiness_Business_Impact.pdf|archive-date=2019-01-21|url-status=live|access-date=12 March 2020}}</ref> A publication by the [[United Nations Environment Programme]] in 2016 found that deforestation, [[climate change]], and [[livestock]] agriculture are among the main causes that increase the risk of [[Zoonosis|zoonotic diseases]], that is diseases that pass from animals to humans.<ref name="UNEP-2016">{{cite book|title=UNEP Frontiers 2016 Report: Emerging Issues of Environmental Concern|date=2016|publisher=United Nations Environment Programme|location=Nairoby|isbn=978-92-807-3553-6|pages=18–32|url=https://environmentlive.unep.org/media/docs/assessments/UNEP_Frontiers_2016_report_emerging_issues_of_environmental_concern.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170224140345/http://environmentlive.unep.org/media/docs/assessments/UNEP_Frontiers_2016_report_emerging_issues_of_environmental_concern.pdf|archive-date=2017-02-24|url-status=live|access-date=1 May 2020}} [[File:CC-BY icon.svg|50px]] Text was copied from this source, which is available under a [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License]</ref>

===== COVID-19 pandemic =====
{{See also|COVID-19 pandemic|Pandemic prevention#Environmental policy and economics}}

Scientists have linked the [[Coronavirus disease 2019|Coronavirus pandemic]] to the destruction of nature, especially to deforestation, [[habitat loss]] in general and [[wildlife trade]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Carrington|first1=Damian|title=Pandemics result from destruction of nature, say UN and WHO|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jun/17/pandemics-destruction-nature-un-who-legislation-trade-green-recovery|access-date=18 June 2020|agency=The Guardian|date=17 June 2020}}</ref> According to the [[United Nations Environment Programme]] (UNEP) the [[Coronavirus disease 2019]] is zoonotic, e.g., the virus passed from animals to humans. UNEP concludes that: "The most fundamental way to protect ourselves from zoonotic diseases is to prevent destruction of nature. Where ecosystems are healthy and biodiverse, they are resilient, adaptable and help to regulate diseases.<ref>{{cite web|title=Science points to causes of COVID-19|url=https://www.unenvironment.org/news-and-stories/story/science-points-causes-covid-19|website=United Nations Environmental Programm|date=22 May 2020|publisher=United Nations|access-date=2 June 2020}}</ref>