We need a green recovery after COVID-19, but banning wildlife trade could do more harm than good
AFTER several early cases of COVID-19 were linked to a wet market in China, wildlife trade became central to discussions about links between public health and nature. HOLLIE BOOTH, PhD Candidate, Conservation Science, University of Oxford Some groups called for a complete ban on the consumption and trade of wildlife, with governments such as China and Vietnam acting decisively to introduce large-scale prohibitions. The pandemic has brought humanity’s strained relationship with nature into sharp focus. It’s drawn public attention to links between environmental and human health, and led to calls for a “green recovery” that puts the environment at the…