Researchers called for ‘urgent action’ to address increased risk of spread of disease due to climate change and deforestation

Illnesses transmitted from animals to humans could kill 12 times as many people in 2050 than they did in 2020, researchers have warned.

Epidemics caused by zoonotic diseases – also known as spillovers – could be more frequent in the future due to climate change and deforestation, experts from US biotech company Ginkgo Bioworks warned.

They called for “urgent action” to address the large risk to global health caused by such diseases.