Policy Options for Antimicrobial Resistance: Exploring Lessons from Environmental Governance

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

7-2025

ISSN

0887-378X

Publisher

Wiley

Language

en-US

Abstract

Context: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a pressing global health crisis rooted in complex collective action problems. Despite the urgency, policy responses have not kept pace with the escalating threat of drug resistance. By recognizing the similarities between AMR governance and other shared-resource challenges in environmental governance, this article examines potential strategies for AMR governance.

Methods: An analysis of twelve environmental governance frameworks identified three main approaches to collective action: market-driven, state-led, and community-centered strategies. From these, we purposively selected three case studies to illustrate how each approach could inform AMR policy, focusing on: (1) market-based mechanisms in climate governance, (2) state-led initiatives in water management, and (3) community-led efforts in biodiversity conservation.

Findings: We propose nine policy options for AMR governance (Table 1), drawing inspiration from established strategies in environmental governance. These include Pigouvian taxes, cap-and-trade systems, enhanced public-private partnerships with performance metrics and technology transfer, and access-and-benefit sharing agreements. Framed as adaptable strategies, we emphasize the importance of tailoring each option—or a blend of options—to the economic, political, and healthcare contexts unique to AMR challenges worldwide.

Conclusions: Although environmental governance has not fully resolved the global issues it addresses, its lessons offer valuable guidance for designing adaptive, equitable, and collaborative AMR governance frameworks. Our analysis highlights the importance of a balanced approach, combining state, market, and community engagement to achieve sustainable AMR solutions. Recognizing the limits of environmental governance, we emphasise that effective AMR strategies should integrate ongoing evaluation, international collaboration, and inclusive stakeholder engagement to foster global commitment and meaningful action.

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