Plastics are woven into the fabric of our daily lives, playing a pivotal role in the world’s economic tapestry. However, their omnipresence comes at a significant social and environmental cost. The plastic system is at a crossroads: Without change, it could see levels of plastic production, mismanaged plastics and greenhouse gas emissions dramatically soar by 2040, further fuelling the triple planetary crisis.
The ‘Towards Ending Plastic Pollution by 2040’ report presents a set of 15 global policy interventions towards ending plastic pollution. If universally adopted and supported by a set of common global rules in the international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, these policies could cut annual volumes of mismanaged plastic waste by 90% and virgin plastic use by 30% by 2040 relative to 2019 levels.
Beyond numbers, the report delves deep into the broader repercussions of plastic pollution, such as biodiversity threats, health risks, and the urgent need for a just transition, and underlines the urgency of comprehensive globally binding rules and collaboration in driving the required systems change.
