Plastic pollution is closely linked to climate change.

Plastic pollution and climate change are among the most pressing environmental challenges today, yet many people remain unaware of the strong link between the two. As pressure mounts to tackle climate change and demand for fossil fuels declines, plastic production has emerged as an alternative growth driver for the oil industry. In fact, oil giant BP predicts that by 2040, plastics will account for 95% of the net increase in global oil demand. The industry has actively lobbied against plastic regulations, pushing for the production of virgin plastics while simultaneously promoting recycling as a solution—efforts that, however, fail to address the root of the problem.

The Role of Plastics in Climate Change

Almost all plastics (99%) are made from fossil fuels, and their production process consumes vast amounts of energy. Every step—from the extraction of oil and natural gas to refining and manufacturing—generates greenhouse gases (GHGs). According to a study by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, plastic production emitted 2.2 billion tons of greenhouse gases in 2019, accounting for 5.4% of global emissions. For comparison, the combined emissions from the aviation and shipping industries that same year totaled 1.3 billion tons. At this rate, plastic production could account for as much as 31% of global greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

The transportation footprint of plastics exacerbates their adverse environmental impacts. A single plastic product can travel thousands of kilometers before reaching the consumer. For instance, crude oil might be extracted in the Gulf of Mexico, refined in Texas, processed into petrochemicals at other facilities, shipped to Chinese factories for manufacturing, and ultimately distributed worldwide. According to a report by the International Environmental Law Center, the natural gas extraction and transportation involved solely in U.S. plastic production generate annual carbon emissions equivalent to those from 2.7 million cars.

When plastic waste is incinerated, it also releases additional greenhouse gases. Each year, the process of burning plastic packaging emits about 16 million tons of greenhouse gases—enough to power 2.6 million households. This doesn’t even account for open-air burning, a common practice in some developing countries, which releases toxic pollutants and further degrades air quality.

The Indirect Climate Impacts of Plastic Pollution

Plastic pollution also indirectly fuels climate change by disrupting carbon sink systems, particularly by harming marine ecosystems that are critical for carbon capture. Oceans play a vital role in capturing and storing carbon dioxide, but this function is weakened when plastics devastate marine life. For instance, plankton are essential for regulating atmospheric carbon levels. Though these microscopic organisms account for only 1–2% of the planet’s total plant-based carbon, they process 30–50 billion tons of carbon annually—equivalent to roughly 40% of the world’s total carbon-capturing capacity. Yet, microplastics interfere with plankton’s ability to sequester carbon, thereby diminishing the ocean’s capacity to mitigate climate change.

Additionally, plastic pollution may alter the "Albedo Effect"—the surface's ability to reflect sunlight. White surfaces like snow and ice effectively bounce sunlight back into the atmosphere, while darker surfaces absorb it instead. However, polar snow and ice contaminated with microplastics absorb more sunlight, accelerating their melting process. This loss of reflective surfaces is intensifying global warming, though the full extent of this effect still requires further investigation.