UN report warns, climate change is leading to rise of 'superbugs'

A new report from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has sounded the alarm on two of the greatest threats to global health: climate change and antimicrobial resistance.

The report, titled Bracing for Superbugs, was released at the Sixth Meeting of the Global Leaders Group on Antimicrobial Resistance in Barbados on Tuesday.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when microorganisms like bacteria, viruses, and fungi evolve to resist the medications that were designed to kill them. The overuse of antimicrobials in people, animals and food production has accelerated the process of drug resistance.

The UNEP warns that if measures are not taken to address the issue, the annual toll of 5 million deaths globally associated with AMR in 2019 is expected to increase to 10 million by 2050.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 3 million antimicrobial-resistant infections occur in the US each year, resulting in over 35,000 deaths. Climate change is a significant contributor to the rise of AMR, as it increases the rate of bacterial growth and the spread of antibiotic-resistant genes between microorganisms.

Severe flooding, overcrowding, poor sanitation and increased pollution caused by climate change can also lead to conditions favorable for drug-resistant bugs to thrive.

The UN report's authors say that limiting the overuse and misuse of antibiotics is a critical step in addressing both climate change and antimicrobial resistance. These drugs save lives but should not be used for viruses such as colds and the flu.

"The impacts of antimicrobial resistance could destroy our health and food systems," warns Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme. As climate change selects for microorganisms that can adapt to a warmer environment, the risk of infections in humans will increase, jeopardising medical advancements and making treatment difficult or even impossible.

"The growing antibiotic resistance problem" warns Dr. Scott Roberts of the Yale School of Medicine, "will result in increasing frequency over time."