Thomas U. Berendonk is at the Institute for Hydrobiology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden 01062, Germany.
Célia M. Manaia is at the Centro de Biotecnologia e Química Fina – Laboratório Associado, Escola Superior de Biotecnologia, Universidade Católica Portuguesa/Porto, Rua Arquiteto Lobão Vital, Apartado 2511, Porto 4202–401, Portugal.
Christophe Merlin is at the Université de Lorraine and le Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Laboratoire de Chimie Physique et Microbiologie pour l’Environnement, Unite Mixte de Recherche 7564, Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy F-54500, France. Despo Fatta-Kassinos is at the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department and Nireas, International Water Research Center, University of Cyprus, PO Box 20537, Nicosia 1678, Cyprus.  
Fiona Walsh is at the Department of Biology, Biosciences and Electronic Engineering Building, National University of Ireland Maynooth, Maynooth, County Kildare, Ireland.
Helmut Bürgmann is at the Eawag: Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Department of Surface Waters – Research and Management, Kastanienbaum (LU) 6047, Switzerland.

Antibiotic resistance is a threat to human and animal health worldwide, and key measures are required to reduce the risks posed by antibiotic resistance genes that occur in the environment. These measures include the identification of critical points of control, the development of reliable surveillance and risk assessment procedures, and the implementation of technological solutions that can prevent environmental contamination with antibiotic resistant bacteria and genes. In this Opinion article, we discuss the main knowledge gaps, the future research needs and the policy and management options that should be prioritized to tackle antibiotic resistance in the environment.