Sheila Aggarwal-Khan
Director, Industry and Economy Division, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
A global response to antimicrobial resistance requires cross-sector collaboration, focusing on environmental interventions. This is essential to preserve our ability to treat diseases in humans, animals and plants; ensure food safety and security; and protect the environment.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the top 10 threats to global health and development, projected to cause over 39 million deaths by 20501 — that’s three deaths every minute. Economically, if unchecked, AMR would have devastating consequences escalating healthcare expenditures, productivity losses and negative impacts on livestock production.
AMR linked to environmental crises
AMR is intricately linked to the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. It hits developing countries hardest due to pollution, lack of sanitation and weak health systems. The environment plays a significant role in its emergence, transmission and spread. Key economic sectors contributing to environmental AMR include pharmaceutical manufacturing, agriculture, food production, healthcare and municipal wastewater.
AMR is a multi-faceted problem
requiring a multi-sectoral approach.
Focus on environmental interventions
To reduce the burden of AMR and its risks, environmental interventions must be at the core of the solutions. These include limiting the discharge of effluents and waste from pharmaceutical industries and hospitals, regulating the use and disposal of antimicrobials in farms — including aquaculture and crop production — and improving integrated water and waste management practices.
Addressing the environmental dimensions of AMR requires enhancing environmental governance, planning and regulation; strengthening reporting, surveillance and research informing policies; raising awareness; and scaling up preventative actions, with further private sector engagement addressing key economic sectors.
Multi-sectoral approach needed
It’s clear, therefore, that AMR is a multi-faceted problem requiring a multi-sectoral approach that combines human health, agricultural, animal and environmental sector-specific interventions. This is the approach of the UN General Assembly Political Declaration adopted in September 2024; countries pledged to reduce AMR-associated global deaths by 10% by 2030 compared to a baseline of 4.95 million deaths in 2019 and committed to USD 100 million in sustainable catalytic funding for national action plans. Only by joining forces can we leverage action to prevent and combat AMR.
[1] Naghavi, Mohsen et al. Global burden of bacterial antimicrobial resistance 1990–2021: a systematic analysis with forecasts to 2050. The Lancet, Volume 404, Issue 10459, 1199 – 1226
