Speaker:Zheng Heran (University College London)
Time: 10:00 AM
Date: May 28th, 2025 (Wednesday)
Location: Room B203, Economics and Management Building
Abstract: Antimicrobial resistance presents a significant and growing threat to planetary health, largely driven by the extensive use of antimicrobials in livestock farming. In the context of globalization, the consequences of this practice extend beyond local agricultural systems along global production networks. However, our understanding of the global spillover effects of livestock antimicrobial use remains incomplete. Here, we quantify and analyze the global antimicrobial footprints embodied in livestock production, tracking their flow through global supply chains from 2010-2020. Using a global supply chain model integrated with livestock antimicrobial usage estimates, we reveal that global antimicrobial footprints peaked at 118.6 kilotons (kt) in 2013, followed by a notable declining to 84.0 kt by 2020. China and the United States emerged as the dominant contributors, accounting for nearly 60% of the global footprint. Although the majority of antimicrobial use remains embodied in domestically produced goods, the proportion embodied in international trade increased from 16% to 20% over the last decade, indicating a significant spillover impact driven by global trade dynamics. Antimicrobial footprint per capita declined from 15.6 g/cap to 11.6 g/cap. Developed economies displayed higher antimicrobial use per capita linked to trade, while developing economies had greater antimicrobial use embodied in local production. A notable shift occurred in the pattern of antimicrobials embodied in international trade, with Brazil surpassing China as the largest exporter of antimicrobials used in livestock production by 2020. Intriguingly, non-food products, particularly in the clothing, services, and manufacturing sectors, contributed to approximately 50% of the antimicrobial footprint embodied in trade. The decline in trade-related antimicrobial footprint is closely associated with the reduced intensity of use, driven by stricter policies and enhanced efforts to control antimicrobial use, especially in China. This offers an accountability for the global antimicrobials reduction policymaking and empowers the policymakers from local to global level antimicrobials management for the sustainable development of livestock production.
