Sara Bertucci
Policy Manager, EPHA
Milka Sokolović
Director General, EPHA
To effectively combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and climate threats, we must adopt a holistic approach that recognises the intricate links between human, animal and environmental health.
As AMR and the changing climate converge, their interconnectedness becomes clear. The climate crisis accelerates global warming, facilitating the spread of infectious diseases in new areas.
Rising temperatures, rising infection risks
Rising temperatures and shifting weather patterns facilitate the spread of infectious diseases like dengue, chikungunya, West Nile virus and malaria into new regions, complicating global health objectives such as the fight against malaria, already hindered by AMR.
Warming may hasten the emergence of new pathogens and revive dormant ones, some potentially resistant to current antibiotics.1 Studies also show a direct link between rising temperatures and the spread of AMR across humans, animals and the environment.
Extreme weather events such as floods and droughts disrupt sanitation, decrease food production and heighten food insecurity, further straining healthcare systems, weakening immune systems and increasing infection risk. This leads to greater antibiotic use driving AMR development.
Extreme weather events such as floods and
droughts disrupt sanitation, decrease food
production and heighten food insecurity.
United against a perfect storm
Addressing AMR in the context of climate requires global coordination. This means stronger global governance, implementing the One Health approach, integrating cross-sectoral AMR surveillance, promoting sustainable agriculture to reduce antibiotic use and fostering public awareness.
We need to accelerate research and innovation in antibiotics, vaccines and sanitation systems. Moreover, investment in a Global AMR Fund and climate adaptation programmes is essential to support vulnerable regions. The recent Political Declaration of the High-level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance is a step in the right direction but leaves much to be desired.
A united front
The European Public Health Alliance (EPHA) is driving a unified response to the intertwined threats of AMR and climate change, advancing a holistic approach linking human, animal and environmental health. Through the AMR Stakeholder Network, MEP Interest Group on AMR and the One Health in Action partnership, EPHA fosters cross-sector alliances, building resilience against the health impacts of AMR and the climate crisis.
[1] Paul J Edelson et. al., Climate Change and the Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases in the United States, Clinical Infectious Diseases, Volume 76, Issue 5, 1 March 2023, Pages 950-956, https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciac697
