Reducing zoonotic risk through nature restoration

The EU Nature Restoration Regulation (NRR), adopted in August 2024, sets ambitious targets to restore degraded ecosystems by 2030 and beyond. Research has, however, identified risks: over 75% of emerging infectious diseases are zoonotic, and land-use change is a major driver of spillover risk. Restoration is a primary tool to reverse the land-use changes that drive spillover events, moving from unstable, simplified ecosystems to resilient, self-regulating ones. The key policy question is how to ensure restoration strengthens ecosystem resilience while mitigating existing zoonotic disease risks. Key messages Nature restoration is a proactive public health strategy. Intact and biodiverse ecosystems act as a “biological buffer,” stabilising pathogen dynamics and reducing the long term risk of zoonotic spillover compared to degraded landscapes. Zoonoses are driven by habitat destruction. While degradation creates the primary risk, well-planned restoration provides the solution by rebuilding ecological complexity. High-quality restoration reduces the dominance of high-risk “reservoir” species (like certain rodents) through the “dilution effect.” Risk management ensures success. While restoration is a net positive for health, “safe‑by‑design” planning is essential to manage localised, context-specific risks during the transition phase, ensuring public trust and social acceptability. The One Health approach, when integrated from the design stage of National Restoration Plans, enables policymakers to anticipate, reduce and manage zoonotic risks without compromising ecological or health benefits.