Global Plastic Treaty Talks Loom as Study Proposes Solutions to Cut Waste by 90%
A new study outlines four key policies that could dramatically reduce plastic pollution and emissions by 2050.
- Researchers from the University of California have identified four policies that could reduce global plastic waste by over 90% and cut related emissions by a third by 2050.
- The study emphasizes the need for a global treaty to cap plastic production at 2020 levels and mandates that new products contain at least 40% recycled plastic.
- The proposed measures also include a packaging tax and significant investments in global waste management infrastructure.
- Without intervention, plastic waste could double by 2050, posing severe environmental and health risks, and increasing greenhouse gas emissions by 37%.
- The upcoming UN treaty negotiations in Busan represent a critical opportunity for over 190 countries to agree on legally binding measures to combat plastic pollution.