Reducing Plastic Production to Achieve Climate Goals: Key Considerations for the Plastics Treaty Negotiations

This briefing from the Center for International Environmental Law argues that current and projected growth in plastic production is incompatible with global climate goals, specifically the 1.5°C warming limit. It asserts that a global plastics treaty must include ambitious obligations to reduce production, as the Paris Agreement and Nationally Determined Contributions are insufficient to address the climate impacts of plastics.

• Global plastic polymer production grew from 2000 to 2019, reaching 460 million tonnes (Mt) per year, and is projected to almost triple from 2019 levels by 2050.
• Plastics currently contribute between 3% and 8% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. If production continues to increase exponentially, plastics are projected to use 13% or more of the remaining carbon budget required to limit warming to 1.5°C.
• Approximately 90% of GHG emissions related to plastics come from production processes and the extraction of raw materials, such as bio-based feedstocks and fossil fuels, including polymerization, gasification, steam cracking, and refining.

APA

Center for International Environmental Law (2023). Reducing Plastic Production to Achieve Climate Goals: Key Considerations for the Plastics Treaty Negotiations. https://www.ciel.org/reports/reducing-plastic-production-to-achieve-climate-goals-key-considerations-for-the-plastics-treaty-negotiations/

Chicago

Center for International Environmental Law. Reducing Plastic Production to Achieve Climate Goals: Key Considerations for the Plastics Treaty Negotiations. 2023. https://www.ciel.org/reports/reducing-plastic-production-to-achieve-climate-goals-key-considerations-for-the-plastics-treaty-negotiations/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Center for International Environmental Law |title=Reducing Plastic Production to Achieve Climate Goals: Key Considerations for the Plastics Treaty Negotiations |date=25 September 2023 |url=https://www.ciel.org/reports/reducing-plastic-production-to-achieve-climate-goals-key-considerations-for-the-plastics-treaty-negotiations/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{centerforinternationalenvironmentallaw2023reducing, author = {{Center for International Environmental Law}}, title = {{Reducing Plastic Production to Achieve Climate Goals: Key Considerations for the Plastics Treaty Negotiations}}, institution = {Center for International Environmental Law}, year = {2023}, month = sep, url = {https://www.ciel.org/reports/reducing-plastic-production-to-achieve-climate-goals-key-considerations-for-the-plastics-treaty-negotiations/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }