A newly launched policy framework is drawing attention at COP17 by linking animal welfare with biodiversity conservation, public health and climate resilience, offering governments fresh ideas as global environmental targets slip further from reach.
A new international policy guide unveiled at the United Nations biodiversity summit in Armenia is urging governments to place animal welfare at the centre of biodiversity protection, public health planning and climate resilience efforts.
Launched on October 21 during COP17 of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the publication seeks to help countries implement the Global Action Plan on Biodiversity and Health through practical measures focused on wildlife management, habitat protection and farm animal welfare.
The release comes at a critical moment for global conservation efforts. A newly issued assessment of biodiversity action has warned that the world remains off course to achieve its target of protecting 30 per cent of land and marine areas by 2030.
The guide argues that biodiversity loss, climate change, antimicrobial resistance and diseases that spread between animals and humans often stem from interconnected causes. It points to the treatment, trade, farming and conservation of animals as factors that can influence ecosystem health and wider environmental outcomes.
According to the framework, the way farmed and wild animals are managed can affect pathogen spillover risks, drive antimicrobial resistance and place additional pressure on already vulnerable ecosystems.
The document references recent concerns surrounding the global spread of H5N1 avian influenza and projections indicating that antimicrobial resistance could contribute to millions of deaths worldwide by mid-century.
Rather than focusing solely on conservation targets, the guide proposes practical interventions that policymakers can adopt immediately.
Among its recommendations are stricter controls on high-risk wildlife capture and trade practices, stronger protections for natural habitats and measures aimed at improving farm animal welfare standards.
The publication also advocates expanding urban tree cover and creating wildlife corridors to improve habitat connectivity, measures that supporters say can benefit both biodiversity and climate resilience.
Countries Already Offer Examples Of The Proposed Measures
To demonstrate how these policies can work in practice, the guide highlights several existing initiatives from around the world.
In Medellín, Colombia, authorities developed a network of green corridors along roads and waterways over the past decade. According to the publication, the initiative helped lower average temperatures by almost 2 degrees Celsius while supporting the return of wildlife species including birds, bats, frogs and lizards.
Belgium's approach to regulating the pet trade is also featured. The country introduced a positive list for mammals in 2009, limiting which species can legally be kept as pets and aiming to reduce risks associated with the exotic animal trade.
Brazil provides another example through wildlife screening and rehabilitation facilities managed by environmental authorities. These centres received more than 54,000 wild animals during 2023 for veterinary treatment and possible reintroduction into natural habitats.
The guide additionally references Bangladesh and Cameroon, where One Health frameworks already recognise links between animal welfare, human health and ecosystem wellbeing.
Germany's national dietary guidelines are highlighted as an example of incorporating environmental, health, social and animal-welfare considerations into food policy decisions.
Supporters of the initiative argue that animal welfare remains an underused policy tool despite its connections to health and environmental outcomes.
Representatives involved with the guide stressed that protecting habitats, promoting sustainable wildlife management and developing nature-aligned food systems all depend partly on how animals are treated.
Advocates also contend that disease prevention cannot be separated from animal wellbeing and ecosystem health. They argue that stronger welfare standards can contribute not only to conservation goals but also to broader efforts aimed at reducing future environmental and public-health risks.
As governments assess progress at COP17 and confront mounting biodiversity challenges, the guide seeks to expand the policy conversation beyond traditional conservation approaches by positioning animal welfare as an integral component of long-term environmental resilience.
