Hidden Fossil Fuels: Plastic Production Drives Climate Change. Study shows that plastic production could be nearly one third of the global carbon budget and emits four times more greenhouse gases than the airline industry. NRDC  Renée Sharp Shannon Puebla 23 Apr 2024 A new study by the U.S. federal government found that global plastic production is a major driver of climate change. The study, which was conducted by scientists at the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, estimates that by 2050 plastic production could account for between 21% to 31% of the global carbon emission budget required to limit global temperature increase to just 1.5 degrees Celsius. Currently, the industry is responsible for four times more greenhouse gas emissions than the airline industry, or about 600 coal-fired power plants.

While this is not the first analysis to highlight the connection between plastics and the climate, the stark statistics should be a wake-up call. Reducing plastic production is critical to combating climate change.  Many people don't realize that 99% of all plastics are made from fossil fuels, and plastics contribute to climate change throughout their life cycle. Greenhouse gas emissions are associated with everything from fossil fuel extraction, to plastic manufacturing, to the disposal of plastic waste. A 2021 analysis by Beyond Plastics found that the U.S. plastics industry will be a bigger contributor to climate change than coal-fired power in the nation by 2030.The fossil fuel industry is counting on a dramatic increase in plastic use since they are facing a world that is moving towards renewable energy and away from oil and gas due to mounting climate change concerns. Plastic has been called the fossil fuel industry's "Plan B" as it looks for ways to maintain profit margins. 

What the DOE’s analysis underscores is that we won’t be able to succeed in our fight to prevent the worst impacts of climate change if we don’t address the enormous contribution of plastics.  It’s time for policymakers to recognize that plastics are just a different form of fossil fuels, and climate mitigation policies must include measures to reduce reliance on plastics, particularly single use plastics and unnecessary plastic packaging. As OECD has noted, while "public policies on climate change mitigation and curbing plastic pollution have mostly developed independently... the two issues are linked.” Plastic is a triple threat.....read on  https://www.nrdc.org/bio/renee-sharp/hidden-fossil-fuels-plastic-production-drives-climate-change