Project description
Wildlife trade governance and biodiversity conservation
The decline of global biodiversity is a significant concern for humanity, and we require effective conservation methods rooted in evidence. Therefore, conservation policies should take into account human factors. Wildlife trade poses a substantial threat to biodiversity and serves as a conduit for zoonotic disease transmission. Enhanced wildlife trade and environmental governance are necessary to manage risks and implement preventive measures. The MSCA-funded HUMAN-CONSERVATION project aims to address three research objectives related to the human dimensions of wildlife trade, with the goal of informing wildlife trade policy, combating wildlife trafficking and defining frontiers in conservation geopolitics. The project leverages expertise in the human dimensions of wildlife trade and links conservation solutions to broader societal objectives, such as human health.
Objective
The catastrophic global decline of biodiversity is one of the most pressing problems facing humanity. Effective conservation solutions must be informed by evidence. Conservation policy and practice historically relied solely on the natural sciences for guidance, but there is increasing recognition that considering the human dimensions of conservation is vital. These are complex and span diverse fields of classic and applied social sciences, and are particularly pertinent for problems which are inherently the result of human decisions and actions, such as wildlife trade.
Wildlife trade is a major driver of biodiversity loss and a pathway for zoonotic disease transmission. Illegal and unsustainable wildlife trade is a significant threat, placing ~12,000 terrestrial vertebrate species (ca. one quarter of the total) at risk of extinction. Furthermore, the rising frequency of zoonotic epidemics and pandemics, including COVID-19, has highlighted the devastating human health consequences of wildlife consumption. Shifting global power structures and geopolitics add to the complexity of the challenges faced. Improved wildlife trade governance and environmental governance in biodiversity-rich areas is needed to manage zoonotic disease risks and implement integrated preventative approaches like One Health. How can wildlife trade governance address the challenges of our geopolitically polarized, post-pandemic world?
In the HUMAN-CONSERVATION project, I will pursue three Research Objectives on the human dimensions of wildlife trade. Building on my expertise on the human dimensions of wildlife trade, my ability to lead interdisciplinary collaborations, and Prof. Di Marco’s strengths in comparative species modelling and in using integrated approaches to connect conservation solutions to broader societal goals like human health, the HUMAN-CONSERVATION project will inform wildlife trade policy, help combat wildlife trafficking, and define frontiers in conservation geopolitics.
Fields of science
- social sciencessociologygovernance
- medical and health scienceshealth sciencesinfectious diseasesRNA virusescoronaviruses
- natural sciencesbiological sciencesecologyecosystems
- medical and health scienceshealth sciencespublic healthepidemiologyzoonosis
- social scienceseconomics and businessbusiness and managementcommerce
Keywords
Programme(s)
- HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Main Programme
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European FellowshipsCoordinator
00185 Roma
Italy