Abstract
The major public health, economic and social crisis resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic raises many questions as to its origin, its dynamics and the mechanisms that explain it. This pandemic also raises questions about the future: on the implication of environmental issues in this type of phenomenon, and on the conditions that would have allowed to, if not prevent, then at least better anticipate this crisis and reduce its impact, in order to be better prepared in the future. Decision-making structures, governments and ministries confronted with widely divergent views and opinions, particularly on the link between Covid-19 and the biodiversity crisis, have turned to research organizations for answers to the following questions:• How is the current health crisis related to wildlife? What role did wild species play in the emergence of this pandemic?• What is the link between this type of crisis, biodiversity loss and the destruction of natural habitats? Can we draw a parallel between the damage done to biodiversity and the increase in zoonotic diseases, which are a source of epidemics and even pandemics?• What is the link between this type of crisis, food production and transportation systems (for humans, livestock, agricultural products)? Can certain agricultural and food production systems, or the increasing rate of international transport, directly or indirectly facilitate the evolution of an emerging infectious disease into an epidemic and ultimately into a pandemic?The relevant ministries and research institutions of the AllEnvi alliance (The National Alliance for Environmental Research) have entrusted the FRB (The French Foundation for Biodiversity Research) and its Scientific Council with the task of giving the biodiversity science community's perspective on the current crisis, and on the relationship between zoonotic diseases, biodiversity and ecosystem services.This report had three objectives:• identify the issues for which there is consensus in the scientific community (including regarding the questions raised by the different departments);• outline the issues that remain open to question, because of dissensus within the research community or gaps in the scientific knowledge;• deliver messages to decision makers; make science-based recommendations for actions or options of measures that could be taken, in order to assist public decision-making.