COVID-19, wet markets, and planetary health

Will the COVID-19 outbreak be a turning point for China's wildlife protection: New developments and challenges of wildlife conservation in China

“…However, the term “wet market” is an ambiguous one that defines many traditional markets across Asia and around the globe ( Alberts, 2020 ). Originally, wet market denoted any place selling fresh produce, but global attention has focused on markets selling live, sometimes wild, animals ( Petrikova et al, 2020 ). While some mainstream public opinions require a complete ban on wet markets avoid future pandemics of zoonotic diseases, not all markets selling live fish and meat would pose the same level risks of transmitting zoonotic diseases ( Roe et al, 2020 ).…”

Implications of COVID-19 on progress in the UN Conventions on biodiversity and climate change

“…There has been a disproportionate focus on calls for wildlife bans on Africa and Asia, whereas a reduction in global meat consumption, and increased efforts to combat the illegal wildlife trade would be more beneficial than banning small-scale animal husbandry (Petrikova et al, 2020). Additionally, many countries routinely outsource their biodiversity threats to other nations (Eskew & Carlson, 2020;Lenzen et al, 2012).…”

“…The pandemic has highlighted the interconnections between the exploitation and unsustainable consumption of wildlife and human health, and how these are exacerbated by socio-economic drivers, especially in developing countries, where communities face food insecurity, lack of access to clean water, and limited economic opportunities (IPBES, 2019). There has been a disproportionate focus on calls for wildlife bans on Africa and Asia, whereas a reduction in global meat consumption, and increased efforts to combat the illegal wildlife trade would be more beneficial than banning small-scale animal husbandry (Petrikova et al, 2020). Additionally, many countries routinely outsource their biodiversity threats to other nations (Eskew & Carlson, 2020; Lenzen et al, 2012).…”

The pathologies of agri-business: A book review symposium

“…Or perhaps, following Kirksey's (2020) speculations cited by Jamie Lorimer, they may show that the virus came from hot spots created by intensive animal agriculture. (This would be an ironic ending given that, as a recent Lancet commentary discusses, the banning of wet markets where poor people currently obtain affordable protein might turn them to the dubiously healthful meat of industrial livestock production (Petrikova et al, 2020). They will probably shed light on what kind of knowledge was brought to bear on understanding its origins and which ideas were not even considered.…”