Policy Scenarios for Eliminating Plastic Pollution by 2040
This report examines various policy scenarios aimed at eliminating plastic pollution by 2040, highlighting the need for ambitious international cooperation and comprehensive strategies to mitigate environmental impacts and enhance recycling efforts.
(Generated with the help of GPT-4)
| Quick Facts | |
|---|---|
| Report location: | source PDF |
| Language: | English |
| Publisher: | Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development |
| Authors: | Bum Cheul Park, Elena Buzzi, Elisa Lanzi, Emma Deroy, Illias Mousse Iye, Kate Hassett, Kumi Kitamori, Laurent Lebreton, Meral Gedik, Peter B?rkey, Ruben Bibas, Shardul Agrawala, Toon Vandyck, Yuko Ishibashi, Rob Dellink |
| Time horizon: | 2040 |
| Geographic focus: | Global |
Methods
The research method involved modeling various policy scenarios using the OECD's ENV-Linkages model, which integrates economic activities with environmental impacts. The analysis included projections of plastic production, use, waste generation, and leakage to the environment, assessing the effectiveness of different policy instruments across multiple stages of the plastics lifecycle.
(Generated with the help of GPT-4)
Key Insights
The report investigates the escalating issue of plastic pollution, projecting that without significant policy changes, global plastic production and waste will increase by 70% by 2040. Current policies are insufficient to curb this trend, leading to dire environmental consequences, including increased plastic leakage into ecosystems. The report outlines ten policy instruments across four pillars: curbing production and demand, designing for circularity, enhancing recycling, and closing leakage pathways. It presents several scenarios with varying levels of ambition, from partial to high ambition, assessing their potential effectiveness in reducing plastic waste and pollution. The findings emphasize that only comprehensive, globally coordinated actions can achieve substantial reductions in plastic leakage and associated greenhouse gas emissions. The report serves as a critical resource for policymakers engaged in international negotiations aimed at establishing a legally binding treaty to combat plastic pollution.
(Generated with the help of GPT-4)
Additional Viewpoints
Categories: 2040 time horizon | 2040s time horizon | 2024 publication year | English publication language | Global geographic scope | circular economy | economic consequences | environmental impacts | greenhouse gas emissions | international cooperation | plastic lifecycle | plastic pollution | policy scenarios | recycling | waste management