plastic_climate_ghg-execsumm-chinese-8e70793752395f9c.pdf

This executive summary from the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) details the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with the full lifecycle of plastics, arguing that current and planned production growth threatens the global goal of limiting temperature rise to 1.5C. The document quantifies emissions from extraction, refining, waste management, and environmental degradation, concluding that immediate reductions in plastic production and the cessation of fossil fuel extraction are necessary to mitigate climate impacts.

• GHG emissions occur at every stage of the plastic lifecycle: fossil fuel extraction and transport, refining and manufacturing, waste management (with incineration being the primary driver of emissions), and the ongoing release of gases as plastics degrade in the environment. Specifically, in 2015, ethylene production facilities in the US emitted 17.5 million tonnes of CO2e, while global ethylene cracking activities emitted between 184.3 and 213 million tonnes of CO2e.
• Plastic pollution in the oceans may interfere with the planet's largest natural carbon sink by hindering the ability of phytoplankton and zooplankton to capture and transport carbon to the deep sea. Additionally, plastics on the ocean surface are known to release methane and other GHGs, with emissions increasing as the plastic decomposes.

APA

Center for International Environmental Law (n.d.). plastic_climate_ghg-execsumm-chinese-8e70793752395f9c.pdf. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Plastic_Climate_GHG-ExecSumm-Chinese.pdf

Chicago

Center for International Environmental Law. plastic_climate_ghg-execsumm-chinese-8e70793752395f9c.pdf. n.d. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Plastic_Climate_GHG-ExecSumm-Chinese.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Center for International Environmental Law |title=plastic_climate_ghg-execsumm-chinese-8e70793752395f9c.pdf |url=https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Plastic_Climate_GHG-ExecSumm-Chinese.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{centerforinternationalenvironmentallawndplasticclimateghgexecsummchinese8e70793752395f9cpdf, author = {{Center for International Environmental Law}}, title = {{plastic\_climate\_ghg-execsumm-chinese-8e70793752395f9c.pdf}}, institution = {Center for International Environmental Law}, url = {https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Plastic_Climate_GHG-ExecSumm-Chinese.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }