Purpose/Context.

The exponential growth of zoonotic diseases has dramatically affected the world population in recent years. In turn, an eventual loss of biodiversity will increase the level of human vulnerability to zoonotic infectious diseases. This article aims to provide some inputs for understanding how the loss of biodiversity due to human economic activity favors the transmission of zoonotic infectious diseases and thus increases the vulnerability level of our species against this threat.

Methodology/Approach.

We performed a critical analysis of the presentations in four events of the Open Lecture in Bioethics, Special Version 2020-1, entitled "Environment, Humans, and Pandemic," organized by the Bioethics Department, Universidad El Bosque. Besides, we systematically compiled several articles from three of the most critical bioethics databases worldwide: Bioethics Research Library, Bioethics, and German Reference Center for Ethics in the Life Science.

Results/Findings.

We could identify the pressing need to restore the relationships between nature and human beings around life, based on changes in the intersubjective, interspecific (humans with other species), and environmental relationships.

Discussion/Conclusions/Contributions.

The actions of human beings against the dynamic ecosystem balance are harmful to themselves and adversely affect other species, thus worsening human exposure to zoonotic infectious diseases such as COVID-19.

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