Plastik & Klima

This report by the Center for International Environmental Law examines the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with the entire lifecycle of plastic, from fossil fuel extraction to waste disposal. It warns that planned expansions in the petrochemical and plastics industries threaten the global goal of limiting temperature rise to 1.5 °C, as plastic-related emissions could consume a significant portion of the remaining global carbon budget by 2050.

• Plastic-related greenhouse gas emissions are projected to grow significantly, potentially reaching 1.34 gigatonnes per year by 2030 and over 56 gigatonnes in cumulative emissions by 2050. This cumulative total represents between 10 and 13 percent of the remaining global carbon budget required to keep temperature increases below 1.5 °C.
• In 2019, the production and incineration of plastic were estimated to generate more than 850 million tonnes of greenhouse gases, an amount equivalent to the emissions of 189 500-megawatt coal-fired power plants.
• The extraction and transport of fossil fuels for plastic production create substantial emissions through methane leaks, flaring, and land disturbance. In 2015, these activities in the United States alone produced at least 9.5 to 10.5 million tonnes of CO2 equivalents (CO2e), while globally, approximately 108 million tonnes of CO2e are attributed to these stages annually outside the US.
• Plastic refining and manufacturing are highly energy- and emission-intensive. In 2015, 24 ethylene plants in the US produced 17.5 million tonnes of CO2e. Globally, ethylene cracking emissions in 2015 ranged from 184.3 to 213.0 million tonnes of CO2e. New facilities, such as a Shell plant in Pennsylvania and an ExxonMobil plant in Baytown, Texas, are expected to add significantly to these annual totals.
• Among waste disposal methods, incineration produces the highest proportion of greenhouse gases. In 2015, plastic waste incineration in the US resulted in 5.9 million tonnes of CO2e, while global emissions from incinerating plastic packaging waste specifically were 16 million tonnes of CO2e.
• Plastic in the environment continues to release greenhouse gases as it decomposes; research indicates that plastic on the ocean surface continuously releases methane and other gases. Furthermore, microplastics may impair the ocean's ability to act as a carbon sink by affecting the photosynthesis of phytoplankton and the metabolic rates of zooplankton.
• The report argues that the most effective way to mitigate these climate impacts is the immediate reduction of plastic production and use. Recommended priority measures include ending the production of single-use plastics, stopping the development of new petrochemical infrastructure, promoting zero-waste cities, and implementing extended producer responsibility.

APA

Center for International Environmental Law (n.d.). Plastik & Klima. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/ciel-ES-GHG-German-10.19-02.pdf

Chicago

Center for International Environmental Law. Plastik & Klima. n.d. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/ciel-ES-GHG-German-10.19-02.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Center for International Environmental Law |title=Plastik & Klima |url=https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/ciel-ES-GHG-German-10.19-02.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{centerforinternationalenvironmentallawndplastik, author = {{Center for International Environmental Law}}, title = {{Plastik \& Klima}}, institution = {Center for International Environmental Law}, url = {https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/ciel-ES-GHG-German-10.19-02.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }