health
A disease of deforestation: how Ebola is linked to the smartphone in your pocket
As demand for cobalt, gold and other minerals grows, mining is accelerating deforestation in the Congo basin – and increasing the risk of deadly Ebola outbreaks
TL;DR
- Ebola outbreaks have become larger and more widespread in recent years compared to earlier decades.
- Deforestation, driven partly by the demand for minerals for the hi-tech economy, is a fundamental driver of increased Ebola outbreaks.
- Destruction of bat habitats due to deforestation increases human encounters with virus-laden bats.
- Artisanal mining for minerals like gold, coltan, and cobalt in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is a significant cause of deforestation.
- The DRC's vast mineral wealth, valued at $24tn, remains largely untapped by commercial mining, leading to increased artisanal mining.
- Soaring global demand for "3TG" minerals (tungsten, tin, tantalum, and gold) for tech products is expected to triple.
- Mining activities plunge people deep into forests, increasing contact with animals that may harbor Ebolaviruses.
- Makeshift mining towns often have poor sanitation and limited health infrastructure, facilitating disease spread.
- Preventing broken ecologies that drive novel pathogens into human populations is crucial for pandemic policy, alongside preparedness and response.