On Sunday 14 March at 14:00, people in the Netherlands will raise their voices about the climate. Never before has such a wide coalition of citizens and organisations called on the next Cabinet to take more action on climate change. The new Government must make sure that polluting companies comply with the Paris Climate Agreement.Demonstrations will be held in more than 30 places in the country and people can also have their voices heard from their homes.

SINGLE-USE PLASTIC

Just like synthetic clothing, 99% of the plastic in the world is made of fossil fuels. The remaining 1% is bio-based.

Did you know that it takes a Quarter of a Litre of oil to produce just one, one litre plastic bottle?

The plastic production industry consumes an incredible amount of fossil fuels. Estimates put figures of 8% to 10% of     the world’s total oil production go into making plastics. Not included in these figures are the associated energy that is needed for transporting filled bottles from factories to supermarkets, keeping drinks chilled in shops and offices and so on. About 40% of all plastic is disposable plastic that is used just once. Reducing the plastic stream would be a huge gain for the climate.

PLASTICS INDUSTRY BLOCKS CLIMATE GOALS

We have not even looked at the emissions associated with the production and incineration of plastic. The part plastic plays in the emission of greenhouse gases and climate change is a relatively little known problem. The Plastic & Climate. The Hidden Costs of a Plastic Planet report gives calculations of greenhouse gases for all phases of the plastic chain, from raw material extraction and processing through to waste processing.

The maximum amount of CO2 that may be emitted worldwide to reach the climate goals is determined in the carbon budget. The report states that up to 2050, the plastics industry is accountable for at least 10% to 13% of this limited budget.

The report concludes that the plastics industry is a serious threat to reaching the climate goals.

APPEAL TO POLITICIANS

The next Cabinet will have to put a lot more effort into reaching the climate agreements. It can do this by:

• ensuring that the textile and clothing industry is subject to the Paris Climate Agreement and the European Green Deal goals;
• addressing Big Oil andplastic producers on their share in climate change and pollution;
• recognising the rapid increase in shale gas production and the growing plastic soup as forms of ecocide, and recognising ecocide as an international crime;
• encouraging banks and insurers to discourage shale gas prospection and extraction, and discourage or cease financing the production of plastics in general and single-use plastics in particular.                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Published by plasticsoupfoundation.org