Thread by @swetac

I'm a risk and behavioral scientist. I assess threats related to pandemics, food scarcity, over-population, and climate change.

Here's what we're not talking about enough: the frequency of global pandemics will only accelerate as climate change gets worse. /thread

As the planet heats up and human population grows, we can anticipate further habitat encroachment and destruction. This will lead to more interaction with exotic wild animals like bats, porcupines, snakes... all of this increases the risk of disease to emerge. 2/6

We don't even fully understand the threats awaiting us in permafrost soils that have been frozen for thousands of years and are now thawing; untold viruses and bacteria locked in the ice are re-emerging. We must treat pandemics and climate change as interconnected threats. 3/6

COVID-19 is a mild disease by virology standards. Far more lethal viruses can emerge, and we’ve seen from COVID-19 how disruptive even just a mild virus can be. Increased infectious diseases alongside more frequent/ intense hurricanes, droughts, wildfires can be overwhelming. 4/6

We must begin planning for how to respond to the parallel threats of climate change and infectious diseases. As the Biden Administration takes office, I urge new and unprecedented coordination between climate scientists and global health professionals. 5/6

We have the human ingenuity to overcome the challenges we face. It is time to get serious and realize there is no time to waste. A planet that is cleaner, more efficient, and more equitable is possible, but we need to start making better decisions now. 6/6

We don't have time to waste. I'll be tweeting fact-based, researched scientific content about the dual climate and infectious disease crises facing our planet. Follow me at @swetac for more.