G20: Ministers must openly communicate their commitments to prevent future pandemics
COVID-19 continues to have an unprecedented impact on our world — over 35 million people have suffered from the disease and over 1 million people have died.[1] Millions have lost their jobs and the economic toll is immense.
A few weeks ago, in the lead up to the G20, there was an important joint meeting of G20 Agriculture and Water Ministers who discussed issues including agricultural trade, food security, water management and recovery from COVID-19.
Due to different positions on climate change — specifically by the US, it was disappointing that Ministers failed to reach agreement on the wording of a joint Communiqué (formal messages announced to the press and public detailing agreements reached during the meetings), due to different positions on climate change.
What we did learn, and what is important here, is that progress was made, and the Ministers reached consensus in relation to actions that can be taken to improve pandemic preparedness. However, those commitments have not yet been made public.
By failing to release a joint Communiqué, Ministers have stopped short of formalizing their deliberations and making clear what measures will be taken to prevent future pandemics. We believe that crucial commitments are needed relating to the wildlife trade and the real threat we know it poses to the spread of zoonotic disease.
It should also be noted that there was a failure of leadership at the highest level by the US administration who blocked important Communiqués from both the G20 Agriculture Ministers’ meeting (September 12) and then the subsequent Environment Ministers’ meeting (September 16). Without the release of those documents, it is difficult to hold governments to account for what was said.
We do know that the G20 Agriculture and Water ministers agreed to call for “improved monitoring” and “stricter safety and hygiene measures” in places where wildlife is present. The G20 Environment ministers likewise recognized the role of wildlife trade in increasing disease risk and the need to reverse land degradation and habitat loss to reduce pandemic risks.
It’s frustrating that text was agreed but has not yet officially released. Disappointment will not be limited to those of us working on this issue but also to the governments who worked hard to advance the need for stricter measure to be taken to reduce the risk of future zoonotic disease transmission in any place where wild animals are present. However, it’s clear that our efforts behind the scenes have not fallen on deaf ears, and that the G20 is able to take steps to prevent future pandemics by ending the global wildlife trade.
World Animal Protection is therefore calling for the chair of the G20 Agriculture Ministers to issue a chair’s summary detailing the commitments made and text agreed. This issue is critical, and we need to capture progress that has been made and hold those present accountable.
Our next step will be to shift our focus to the leaders’ summit, and the Sherpas who are negotiating the leaders’ text. It is now up to G20 leaders to act decisively and lead the way on ending the trade in wildlife for commercial purposes and contribute significantly to future pandemic prevention.
The COVID-19 pandemic has shown the economic, social and health chaos that is caused when governments do not act to reduce risk. COVID-19 is simply the latest in a long line of zoonotic emerging infectious diseases. We have been here before with the transmission of Ebola, HIV, SARS and MERS, all associated with originating in wildlife.
World Animal Protection is campaigning for a global ban on commercial wildlife trade. G20 Leaders have a really important opportunity and they must ensure they use November’s summit to agree concrete actions to help prevent future pandemics, including by taking action on the wildlife trade.
[1] Johns Hopkins University & Medicine Coronavirus Resource Center, https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html, accurate as at 5 October 2020.
