Land-use change is a significant driver of emerging infectious disease. Over 60 percent of emerging infectious diseases over the past six decades, including SARS, H1N1/Swine Flu, and HIV-AIDS have originated in animals, with nearly half of these linked to changes in land-use. Forest degradation resulting from agricultural intensification and other human activities accounts for about 15 percent of greenhouse gas emissions – roughly equivalent to the emissions generated by the entire global transportation sector. The key to reducing the threat from diseases with pandemic potential and slowing global climate change is to more accurately account for the value of ecosystems and base land-use choices on real benefits and costs.
The four main goals of the Infectious Disease Emergence and Economics of Altered Landscapes (IDEEAL) project are to:
- Build economic models of land-use change and disease emergence that can be used by local and regional decision makers;
- Describe the relationship between disease emergence, land-use change, and human behavior, and quantify an ecosystem’s disease regulating value;
- Build toolkits and establish a center of excellence to develop and promote best practices, research, and reduced-impact land use guidance; and
- Engage private companies and educate and empower civil society stakeholders to work together for a healthy and sustainable future.
IDEEAL project is funded by USAID and is currently based in the Kinabatangan Basin where EcoHealth Alliance works very closely with Sabah Wildlife Department, DGFC, Universiti Malaysia Sabah as well as representative community groups.
The four main goals of the Infectious Disease Emergence and Economics of Altered Landscapes (IDEEAL) project are to:
- Build economic models of land-use change and disease emergence that can be used by local and regional decision makers;
- Describe the relationship between disease emergence, land-use change, and human behavior, and quantify an ecosystem’s disease regulating value;
- Build toolkits and establish a center of excellence to develop and promote best practices, research, and reduced-impact land use guidance; and
- Engage private companies and educate and empower civil society stakeholders to work together for a healthy and sustainable future.
IDEEAL project is funded by USAID and is currently based in the Kinabatangan Basin where EcoHealth Alliance works very closely with Sabah Wildlife Department, DGFC, Universiti Malaysia Sabah as well as representative community groups.
Since 2011, DGFC has been actively collaborating with EcoHealth Alliance on zoonotic diseases. In addition, several training courses on zoonotic pathogens and primate sampling, safety and biosecurity protocols have been organised by EHA. The courses have been attended by staff from DGFC.