Health

As well as providing a sustainable source of fresh food and clean drinking water, forests are an essential source of wild-harvested medicines for both local communities and global pharmaceutical companies. Trade in medicines and plants derived from tropical rainforests is estimated to be around $108 billion per year – roughly equal to the amount spent on the UK’s National Health Service each year. Undisturbed tropical forests can also have a moderating effect on infectious diseases. 40% of the world’s population lives in malaria-infested regions and heavily deforested areas can see up to a 300-fold increase in the risk of malaria infection compared to areas of intact forest. The commercial trade in bushmeat is also increasing human exposure to new diseases that are carried by wildlife and efforts to conserve areas of high biodiversity can reduce the likelihood of diseases such as SARS jumping from wildlife to humans.