The battle for sustainability: Earth Day's message of 'Planet vs. Plastics

World Earth Day, observed annually on April 22 worldwide, commemorates contemporary environmental advancements and promotes awareness of the imperative to conserve Earth and its resources.

- Kuntala Sarkar

Earth Day 2024 adopts the theme ‘Planet vs. Plastics’ to spotlight the pollution stemming from the escalating use of plastics.

Plastic Production and Climate Change

At the outset of plastic production, fossil fuels are consumed to generate energy, emitting greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, which significantly contribute to global temperature rises. Projections for 2024 anticipate global plastic waste production to hit 220 million tonnes, with 70 million tonnes being environmentally detrimental. A United Nations Intergovernmental Negotiating Panel on Climate Change report warns of irreversible climate change by 2030, largely influenced by plastic production. To address plastic pollution, the United Nations convened its fourth Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution session from April 23, advancing discussions on a treaty to curb plastic pollution, albeit amid substantial disagreements regarding global limits on plastic production.

A study by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) in the USA suggests that meeting the goal of restricting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius before 2060 is currently beyond reach. To align with the Paris Agreement, measures must be taken to reduce plastic production by 12 to 17% by 2024 to mitigate further temperature increases.

Impact of plastic pollution