Strong linkages exist between the emergence of infectious diseases and changes in land use. More than 60% of new infectious diseases of humans are transmitted by animals, and most originated in wildlife. The risk of transmission of viruses from animals to humans is higher than ever as people clear forests and fragment habitat to grow crops, keep livestock, and harvest timber and other natural products. Land-use change is the most frequent driver of the emergence of infectious diseases. The hotspots of zoonotic infectious diseases significantly overlap with the hotspots of land degradation.