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Representational image | Photo: AFP
Another concerning study report has emerged amidst ongoing discussions about the profound impact of plastic on the environment. According to the study, if plastic production continues at its current pace, global temperatures will surpass a 1.5-degree Celsius increase.
The study, conducted by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) in the USA, indicates that achieving the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius before 2060 is unattainable under current circumstances. Moreover, the target of reducing carbon emissions to mitigate global warming may only be met after 2082.
During the initial stages of plastic production, fossil fuels are burnt to generate electricity and heat, releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. These gases are a primary driver of global temperature increases.
Under the Paris Agreement on climate change, plastic production needs to be curtailed by 12 to 17 percent by 2024 to keep global temperature rises below 1.5 degrees Celsius.
According to a recent study, the global production of plastic waste in 2024 is expected to reach 220 million tonnes, with 70 million tonnes remaining environmentally harmful.
In 2019 alone, the initial phases of plastic production resulted in emissions of 2.24 gigatonnes of carbon, constituting 5.3 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.
This new report comes just ahead of the United Nations' fourth summit on an international agreement to combat plastic pollution in Ottawa, Canada, on April 23.
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