{"id":3114,"date":"2023-10-12T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-10-12T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www-prod.greenpeace.org\/usa\/campaign-updates\/3114\/why-greenpeace-is-calling-on-governments-to-cut-plastic-production-by-at-least-75-by-2040\/"},"modified":"2024-11-22T06:15:33","modified_gmt":"2024-11-22T06:15:33","slug":"why-greenpeace-is-calling-on-governments-to-cut-plastic-production-by-at-least-75-by-2040","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/usa\/why-greenpeace-is-calling-on-governments-to-cut-plastic-production-by-at-least-75-by-2040\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Greenpeace is calling on governments to cut plastic production by at least 75% by 2040"},"content":{"rendered":"

A once-in-a-generation opportunity to protect people and the planet from the climate and plastic crises
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

The data is clear. Global plastic production doubled from 2000 to 2019<\/a>,\u00a0reaching 460 million tonnes (Mt) per year and without action is anticipated to nearly triple by 2050<\/a> and projected to consume 13% or more of Earth\u2019s remaining carbon budget to keep warming below 1.5\u00b0C.<\/p>\n

This uncontrolled production of plastics is accelerating the triple planetary crisis – climate change<\/a>, pollution and biodiversity loss<\/a>, threatening human health at an unimaginable scale<\/a>, and exacerbating racial, gender and economic inequality<\/a> across the globe.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Waste Management and Recycling in Bogot\u00e1, Colombia<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

As we head into the third round of international negotiations<\/a> for a global Plastics treaty in Kenya, global leaders must step up to the reality that the only way to address the plastics crisis and avoid the worst effects of the climate emergency is to set ambitious rules that significantly reduce the amount of plastics produced<\/a>. World leaders have an opportunity to be ambitious and if they fail, we will all lose.<\/p>\n

Reducing plastic production by at least 75% to avoid the worst of the climate crisis<\/h2>\n

If we only look at the plastics crisis through a climate lens, the best available modeling (Eunomia<\/a> and Pacific Environment<\/a>) tells us that cutting plastic production by 75% by 2050 will be required to keep warming to 1.5 C and prevent the most dire impacts of a rapidly warming planet. The more recently released Global Stocktake on climate change<\/a> states that the window for keeping warming to 1.5 C is rapidly closing, and offers yet another stark wakeup call – the world needs to do much more, much faster to protect life on earth.<\/p>\n

\n

If your bath was overflowing, you wouldn\u2019t reach for a mop, you\u2019d turn off the tap.<\/p>\n

This is what we need to do with plastic
\nTo stay below 1.5\u00b0C for our climate, an ambitious #PlasticsTreaty<\/a> is essential to cut plastic production by at least 75%!
\n https:\/\/t.co\/XkgSeqx3kp<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/p9Ey4T8E1K<\/a>
\n\u2014 Greenpeace International (@Greenpeace) September 21, 2023<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n