In this webinar hosted by the Stanford Center for Human and Planetary Health and Center for Innovation in Global Health, Stanford experts examined how climate change, land use alterations, ecological disruption, and global interconnectedness are reshaping infectious disease risks and response challenges worldwide.

From hantavirus outbreaks to the ongoing Ebola emergency in Central and East Africa, emerging infectious diseases are underscoring the growing complexity of responding to health threats in an increasingly interconnected and rapidly changing world. Drawing on perspectives from infectious disease, ecology, environmental change, and global health, this panel discussion explored how drought, extreme rainfall, biodiversity loss, habitat encroachment, and shifting species interactions can influence disease dynamics and increase opportunities for zoonotic spillover. Speakers also discussed the broader public health implications of fragmented international cooperation, underinvestment in preparedness systems, and accelerating global connectivity. Through recent case studies including hantavirus and Ebola, the conversation examined what emerging infectious diseases reveal about the interconnectedness of climate, ecosystems, and human health – and the importance of interdisciplinary, cross-border approaches to prevention, resilience, and response.

View the event recording

Speakers:

Michele Barry | Director, Stanford Center for Innovation in Global Health; Senior Associate Dean for Global Health

Steve Luby | Faculty Director, Stanford Center for Human and Planetary Health

Abraar Karan | Instructor & Physician, Department of Infectious Diseases, Stanford School of Medicine

Tracey Goldstein | Director, Colorado State University One Health Institute

Rodolfo Dirzo | Bing Professor in Environmental Science, Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability