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The UK Parliament’s Environmental Audit Committee has launched its ‘The Environment in Focus’ inquiry, inviting proposals on what the Committee should investigate next in the areas of climate change, the environment and nature.

The House of Commons Science, Innovation and Technology Committee launched an inquiry on what MPs should put under the microscope. In other words, the committee called for input on the questions they should be exploring and how the government can ensure that science and technology do good for people across the United Kingdom.

The Microbiology Society has submitted evidence to the UK Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) inquiry into antimicrobial resistance (AMR), highlighting key challenges and recommendations for strengthening the UK’s response to this growing global crisis. The Society’s response was informed by the views of its members and the wider AMR community through its ‘Knocking Out AMR’ project.

AMR occurs when disease-causing bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites (pathogens) are no longer affected by the medicines that have been developed to target them. Drug-resistant pathogens can cause infections that are difficult or impossible to treat; they increase the risk of disease spread and can lead to severe illness, disability and death.

Human microbiome research is an exciting and dynamic field that has the potential to benefit many areas of our society and the economy. Microbiome research has progressed rapidly since the development of new genomic technologies and investment in large-scale, collaborative projects such as The Human Microbiome Project, a ten-year research initiative launched in 2007 which set out to characterise the human microbiome and its role in health and disease. Evidence from this project, alongside more recent studies, suggests that the findings from microbiome research can be used to improve human health.

The rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the most urgent global threats to public health in the 21st century. AMR refers to disease-causing microbes (also known as pathogens) evolving and gaining resistance to drugs and substances that were once effective treatments against infections (antimicrobials). It poses significant challenges to current clinical care, health economies, animal and plant health as well as the environment. Microbiologists from across the world are committed to developing innovative solutions to combat AMR and reduce its impact on global health.

The rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the most urgent global threats to public health in the 21st century. AMR refers to disease-causing microbes (known as a pathogens) evolving and gaining resistance to drugs and substances that were once effective treatments against infections (antimicrobials). It poses significant challenges to clinical care, health economies, animal and plant health as well as the environment. Microbiologists from across the world are committed to developing innovative solutions to combat AMR.

The effects of climate change are already evident across the globe. Habitats are disappearing, sea levels are rising, and the polar ice caps are melting. The communities most affected are struggling to cope with a rapidly changing world. Microbes are directly associated with both the production and consumption of greenhouse gasses, making them an important component in climate change models. Microbiology research is instrumental for the monitoring and mitigation of climate change and has revealed ways in which we can harness the power of microbes to avoid climate catastrophe.

The Microbiology Society has published a position statement entitled ‘Safeguarding the Future of the Microbiology Research and Innovation Workforce’, calling for employers, funders and governments to prioritise and better support Early Career (EC) Forum.

The United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including “good health and well-being”, “gender equality” and “affordable and clean energy”, build on the success of the Millennium Development Goals to cement hundreds of years of incremental human progress with the support of a strong international community. The global goals are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity. Many of the steps that will be taken on the long road towards achieving the SDGs will involve outputs from microbiological research. The major policy decisions needed to set us on this journey require knowledge of relevant microbial activities and how these can be channelled for the greater benefit. 

Exploitation of material resources and increased pressure on natural ecosystems have raised concerns over potential future resource risk and supply failures worldwide. In recent years, interest in a circular model that looks beyond the current linear ‘take-make-dispose’ industrial model has surged among scientists, policy makers and business actors. The circular economy is based on the principles of designing out waste and pollution, keeping products and materials in use, and regenerating natural systems.