Wildlife trade as a driver of pandemic emergence: a post-COVID alliance’s legacy of response

Human health is inextricably linked to the health of wildlife populations and ecological systems. One Health science offers a multi-faceted approach to pandemic prevention, holistically investigating the interrelatedness of environmental, animal, and human health. Wildlife trade is a vital context for this work; zoonotic disease transmission along the wildlife trade pathway has had devastating social, cultural, and economic consequences. In 2021, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the German government launched the International Alliance against Health Risks in Wildlife Trade to enhance awareness, knowledge, and policies that narrow the gap between transdisciplinary science and the implementation of wildlife trade risk-reduction measures. Alliance operations have transitioned to the World Organisation for Animal Health. Herein, we establish a historical record for the Alliance, reflecting on first-phase achievements and lessons learned in the scientific, policy, and community empowerment contexts. We emphasize Alliance advancement of One Health, making recommendations for even greater returns on programmatic investments in pandemic prevention.