Prince William calls for urgent steps to prevent illegal wildlife trade, future zoonotic diseases

Prince William has expressed his passion for causes related to environment conservation time and again. In the past, he has made dedicated efforts towards the cause. Now, he is urging the international community to come together to bring an end to the illegal wildlife trade.

In collaboration with United for Wildlife Taskforces and leading conservation organisations, the Duke of Cambridge attended a virtual webinar and addressed the need for urgent measures to stop wildlife trade and prevent zoonotic diseases. During the webinar, he admitted that the coronavirus outbreak has had a negative impact on wildlife charities. In addition, he believes it is a wakeup call for the world to take steps to prevent future zoonotic diseases.

A clip was posted on the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's Kensington Royal account as well as United for Wildlife Taskforces official Instagram account. It features the duke's speech at the webinar that brought together environment experts together from around the world.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has ruined lives and threatened livelihoods across the world. No country is immune. Sadly, the conservation sector is suffering too. Crucial tourism revenue has largely dried up, and it will be many months, perhaps even years, before it recovers. Rangers' salaries are at risk, and there are early indications that economic hardship may be leading more people to turn back to poaching," Prince William said in the video.

"Never before has there been greater public awareness about the dangers of zoonotic diseases like Ebola, SARS, MERS, and COVID. And never before has the global incentive to act been so high," the royal said.

As the father-of-three can be heard speaking for the cause and its link with the current health crisis, the video features several wildlife shots.

"Right now, there is a real chance to ensure that the urgent steps that the world must take to prevent future zoonotic disease pandemics are designed in a way that also helps to eradicate the illegal wildlife trade," he added.

According to Daily Mail, the duke teased an upcoming project called The Earthshot Prize which will inspire others to celebrate transformational work that is done to protect our environment. As per the report, the virtual meeting was chaired by Lord Hague of Richmond, chair of the United for Wildlife Taskforces, and speakers included Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, Executive Secretary of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, Dr. Zhi Lu of Peking University, Peter Knights, CEO of WildAid, and Dr. Peter Daszak from the EcoHealth Alliance.