A survey conducted by Greenpeace International has found that 80% of respondents from 19 countries support cutting plastic production to protect biodiversity and the climate. The survey, which collected responses from over 19,000 participants, highlights the strong support for reducing plastic production (82%) and protecting biodiversity and the climate (80%). Greenpeace also reports that 90% of people support transitioning to reusable and refillable packaging, while 75% are in favor of a ban on single-use plastic.
The survey also reveals that 80% of people are concerned about the impact of plastic on the health of their loved ones, with 84% of parents expressing concerns about their children’s health. This concern is not unfounded, as Greenpeace points out that more than half of all plastic ever produced has been made since 2000, and if current trends continue, plastic production could double within the next 10-15 years and triple by 2050.
Plastics also contribute to the climate crisis, as 99% of plastics are made from fossil fuels. Greenpeace reports that single-use plastics made in 2021 released greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to the total emissions of the entire UK. To address the climate crisis and meet the target of limiting average temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius, Greenpeace emphasizes the need to reduce plastic production.
In March 2022, the UN Environment Assembly adopted a resolution to develop a global plastics treaty aiming to reduce plastic pollution across the entire lifecycle. Greenpeace calls for the treaty to set a target of reducing plastic production by at least 75% by 2040, based on a 2019 baseline.
Greenpeace hopes that political leaders will prioritize the reduction of plastic production and represent the will of the people to protect human health, the climate, and biodiversity during the treaty negotiations.
