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Plastics and climate change: an overview of two connected global problems
Summary
Researchers reviewed the interconnections between global plastic production and climate change, finding that plastics' lifecycle emissions—concentrated in early production stages—and ocean plastic pollution together account for significant greenhouse gas contributions, and that meaningful solutions require treating the two crises as one integrated problem rather than separately.
This study presents an overview of how plastics and climate change represents two interconnected global problems. Through an interpretive overview of studies retrieved from Scopus, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science databases, we aimed to identify commonalities among the topics through an integrative approach. Initially, we showed that fossil fuels are the primary raw material for plastic production and that the largest emitters of greenhouse gases (GHG) are also the largest producers of plastics. Projections indicate that plastics will account for 20% of global oil consumption by 2050. However, while their production is still modest, bioplastics and recycled plastics are increasing. Secondly, we examined GHG emissions throughout the lifecycle of the plastic, noting that the initial stages account for more than 60% of emissions. We also explored how plastic pollution, by interfering with ocean dynamics, is related to climate change, as well as the consequences of these two problems for marine ecology, the economy, and human health. Finally, we highlighted the global regulatory aspects of plastic use, often overlooked, and future prospects for ending plastic pollution and reducing GHG emissions. Thus, by integrating these two global problems, we seek to demonstrate that, in order to combat both crises, they can no longer be treated separately.