New Study Warns Climate Crisis Could Worsen Global Antibiotic Resistance, Poorer Nations Most at Risk
A landmark forecasting study by Chinese researchers has revealed a troubling connection between climate change and the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), predicting that global AMR levels could rise significantly by 2050 if fossil fuel-heavy development continues. Published today in Nature Medicine, the study projects a 2.4% global increase in AMR under high-emission climate scenarios with low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) facing the brunt of the impact.
But the study also offers a silver lining. If LMICs improve healthcare access, sanitation, and immunization, global AMR levels could fall by over 5%, more than double the projected impact of halving antibiotic use alone.
Socioeconomic and Climate Pressures Driving AMR
The research team, led by Peking Universi...