Environmental Dimensions of Antimicrobial Resistance

Global attention to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has been dominated by a focus on the health and
agriculture sectors. However, the environment is also key to the development, transmission and spread of
AMR to humans, animals and plants. In 2017 this fact was recognized by the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-3), which requested a report on the environmental impacts of AMR and the causes of the development and spread of resistance in the environment, including the gaps in understanding those impacts and causes. This paper presents highlights from a full report that will be released later this year, which was prepared through a consultative process that engaged more than 50 experts and stakeholders from countries around the world, including from the Tripartite organizations the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and the World Health Organization (WHO).