WCEL recently partnered with the International Council of Environmental Law (ICEL), the Government of France, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), and the Global Center for Environmental Legal Studies at the Elizabeth Haub School of Law to organize a "Knowledge Dialogue on International Cooperation to Prevent Next Pandemic" at the United Nations. 

The esteemed group of panelists included Professor Nicholas Robinson, WCEL Chair Emeritus, Dr. Christian Walzer, Executive Director of Wildlife Health for the Wildlife Conservation Society, and Dr. Gwenaël Vourc’h, Deputy Head of the unit research Epidemiology of animal and zoonotic diseases for INRAE. The Panelists described how zoonosis functions, explained the best practices and principles that can prevent the spill over of zoonotic diseases from animals to humans, and reviewed the existing international legal instruments that States can deploy to avert future epidemics or another pandemic. 

The United Nations Knowledge Dialogue Series brings together multiple stakeholders – including persons from Government, civil society, the private sector, multilateral and funding organizations and the scientific community – to inform and engage diplomats and policy makers on key sustainable development issues.

The webinar recording can be viewed here.