A Pandemic Treaty and Wildlife Trade

24 Pages Posted: 6 Jan 2022

See all articles by Eduardo Gallo-Cajiao

Eduardo Gallo-Cajiao

School of Marine and Environmental Affairs, University of Washington

Susan Lieberman

Wildlife Conservation Society

Nives Dolšak

University of Washington

Aseem Prakash

University of Washington - Department of Political Science

Ronald Labonté

University of Ottawa

Duan Biggs

University of Queensland

Tiffany Morrison

James Cook University

A.M. Viens

York University

Richard A Fuller

Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science

Raphael Aguiar

Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research

Pedro Fidelman

University of Queensland

James E.M. Watson

University of Queensland - School of Earth and Environmental Sciences

Cécile Aenishaenslin

University of Montreal

Mary Wiktorowicz

Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research

Date Written: September 2, 2021

Abstract

Institutional arrangements are key for problem-solving; therefore, pandemics require a strong governance response. While a plethora of ideas about prevention actions for pandemics have been advanced, there has been relatively limited consideration for how those can be operationalized through governance macro structures, particularly within the context of the wildlife trade as a zoonotic driver. Pandemic prevention governance has mostly focused on outbreak surveillance, containment, and response, rather than on avoiding zoonotic spillovers. However, given acceleration of globalization, a paradigm shift towards zoonotic spillover prevention is warranted as outbreak containment becomes unfeasible. Here, we consider the current institutional landscape for pandemic prevention in light of potential negotiations of a ‘Pandemic Treaty’, and how zoonotic spillover prevention from the wildlife trade could be incorporated. We argue that such an institutional arrangement should focus on improving coordination across four policy domains, namely public health, biodiversity conservation, food security, and trade. A Pandemic Treaty should be negotiated initially as a Framework Convention, with subsequent protocols, including a Pandemic Prevention Protocol with specific provisions for the wildlife trade. This Protocol should include four clear interacting goals: risk understanding, risk assessment, risk reduction, and enabling funding. Despite the need to keep political attention on solving the current pandemic, we cannot afford missing the opportunity of the current crisis to catalyse institution building for preventing future pandemics.

Keywords: global health governance, global governance, zoonoses, disease outbreak, wildlife trade, COVID-19, pandemic prevention

Suggested Citation

Gallo-Cajiao, Eduardo and Lieberman, Susan and Dolšak, Nives and Prakash, Aseem and Labonté, Ronald and Biggs, Duan and Morrison, Tiffany and Viens, A.M. and Fuller, Richard A and Aguiar, Raphael and Fidelman, Pedro and Watson, James E.M. and Aenishaenslin, Cécile and Wiktorowicz, Mary, A Pandemic Treaty and Wildlife Trade (September 2, 2021). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3966292 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3966292

Eduardo Gallo-Cajiao (Contact Author)

School of Marine and Environmental Affairs, University of Washington ( email )

3707 Brooklyn Ave NE
Seattle, WA 98105
United States

Susan Lieberman

Wildlife Conservation Society ( email )

Fairbanks, AK 99775
United States

Nives Dolšak

University of Washington ( email )

Seattle, WA 98105

Aseem Prakash

University of Washington - Department of Political Science ( email )

101 Gowen Hall
Box 353530
Seattle, WA 98195
United States

Ronald Labonté

University of Ottawa ( email )

2292 Edwin Crescent
Ottawa, Ontario K2C 1H7
Canada

Duan Biggs

University of Queensland

Australia

Tiffany Morrison

James Cook University ( email )

Cairns, Queensland 4878
Australia

A.M. Viens

York University ( email )

4700 Keele Street
Toronto, Ontario M3J 1P3
Canada

Richard A Fuller

Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science ( email )

Australia

Raphael Aguiar

Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research ( email )

88 The Pond Rd suite 5021
Toronto, ON M3J 2S5
Canada

Pedro Fidelman

University of Queensland ( email )

St Lucia
Brisbane, Queensland 4072
Australia

HOME PAGE: http://pedrofidelman.com

James E.M. Watson

University of Queensland - School of Earth and Environmental Sciences

Queensland, 4067
Australia

Cécile Aenishaenslin

University of Montreal ( email )

C.P. 6128 succursale Centre-ville
Montreal, Quebec H3C 3J7
Canada

Mary Wiktorowicz

Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research ( email )

88 The Pond Rd suite 5021
Toronto, ON M3J 2S5
Canada

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