Far from a distraction: Plastic pollution and the planetary emergency
Jennifer L. Lavers, Alexander L. Bond, Charles Rolsky
Abstract
Pollution of the environment with plastics has garnered significant public attention, but the topic has also been the focus of controversy, including assertions that resources are better spent on other topics, such as global warming. Here, we argue that plastic pollution and climate change are fundamentally linked, from the extraction of fossil fuels to the production of plastics, and eventual disposal. We demonstrate how plastics research and funding currently lag significantly behind that of climate change and conclude by advocating for a more integrated approach to addressing pressing conservation issues in the time of a planetary emergency.
Topics & Concepts
Plastic pollutionClimate changeGlobal warmingFossil fuelPollutionEnvironmental pollutionEnvironmental planningGreenhouse gasEnvironmental protectionEnvironmental scienceEnvironmental resource managementBusinessNatural resource economicsEngineeringWaste managementGeologyEcologyOceanographyEconomicsBiologyMicroplastics and Plastic PollutionSustainable Supply Chain ManagementMunicipal Solid Waste Management