The Hidden Costs of a Plastic Planet: Climate

This fact sheet from the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) details how the lifecycle of plastic—from fossil fuel extraction to disposal—contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and threatens the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C.

• Plastic production is heavily reliant on fossil fuels, with over 99% of plastic derived from them. The production of petrochemicals for plastics is the primary driver of growth in oil and gas demand. Annual plastic production is projected to be 40% higher by 2025 than it was in 2015, with more than 40% of that output intended for disposable packaging.
• Plastic generates greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions throughout its entire lifecycle. This includes methane leakage and fuel combustion during feedstock extraction and transport; fuel combustion and chemical reactions during refining and manufacture; and the release of GHGs as plastics break down in oceans, rivers, or on land. Additionally, microplastics in oceans may hinder the ocean's carbon trapping capacity.
• Combined GHG emissions from plastic could exceed 56 gigatons by 2050, which represents nearly 10% of the remaining carbon budget.
• Different waste management methods have varying climate impacts: landfilling has the lowest emissions, recycling has moderate emissions, and incineration has extremely high emissions. The document notes that plastic incineration is expected to grow significantly.
• The document argues that certain common approaches—such as ocean cleanups, downcycling, plastic-to-fuel schemes, and bio-based or biodegradable plastics—fail to address the root cause of the crisis: the overproduction of plastic. Instead, it recommends comprehensive reduction, including phasing out single-use plastics, stopping the construction of new petrochemical infrastructure, adopting zero-waste policies, and implementing extended producer responsibility.

APA

Center for International Environmental Law (2019). The Hidden Costs of a Plastic Planet: Climate. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/CIEL_2-pager_-The-Hidden-Costs-of-a-Plastic-Planet-Climate.pdf

Chicago

Center for International Environmental Law. The Hidden Costs of a Plastic Planet: Climate. 2019. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/CIEL_2-pager_-The-Hidden-Costs-of-a-Plastic-Planet-Climate.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Center for International Environmental Law |title=The Hidden Costs of a Plastic Planet: Climate |date=May 2019 |url=https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/CIEL_2-pager_-The-Hidden-Costs-of-a-Plastic-Planet-Climate.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{centerforinternationalenvironmentallaw2019hidden, author = {{Center for International Environmental Law}}, title = {{The Hidden Costs of a Plastic Planet: Climate}}, institution = {Center for International Environmental Law}, year = {2019}, month = may, url = {https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/CIEL_2-pager_-The-Hidden-Costs-of-a-Plastic-Planet-Climate.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }