Ocean Pollution: A Climate Change Catalyst?

Climate change and ocean pollution are two of the most pressing environmental issues facing our planet today. While they are often viewed as separate problems, they are fundamentally linked. Oceans play a critical role in regulating the climate, and climate change poses a significant threat to ocean health. Ocean pollution, particularly plastic pollution, exacerbates the impacts of climate change and hinders the ocean's ability to mitigate it. This is due to the fact that plastics are primarily made from fossil fuels, and their production, use, and disposal contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, plastic waste in the ocean can interfere with its capacity to absorb and sequester carbon dioxide, creating another pathway through which plastic pollution accelerates climate change.

Plastic production, use, and disposal create greenhouse gas emissions

Greenhouse gases escape from fossil fuels extracted and refined to make plastic. Fossil fuels are used to make plastic in an energy-intensive process. The extraction, refining, and manufacture of plastics are all carbon-intensive activities. In 2015, CO2 and other GHG emissions from plastic production reached 1.96 Gt of CO2e, with a cost of $341 billion annually. The production stage, which includes converting fossil fuels into plastics, accounts for most of the emissions, mainly in the form of carbon dioxide.

At the disposal stage, incineration of plastic waste releases significant GHGs into the atmosphere, along with toxic pollutants. Waste incineration has the largest climate impact when compared to landfill and recycling. In 2015, US emissions from plastic incineration were 5.9 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent. Globally, carbon dioxide emissions from ethylene production are projected to expand by 34% between 2015 and 2030.

Additionally, plastic in the oceans may interfere with their capacity to absorb and sequester carbon dioxide, creating another pathway through which plastic pollution contributes to and accelerates climate change. Microplastics concentrate on the thin surface layer of the ocean, disrupting its ability to absorb carbon dioxide, which could lead to fewer fish and other aquatic animals due to changes in behaviour and reproduction.

Oceans are absorbing carbon dioxide, becoming more acidic

The ocean is a critical natural resource that can help address the climate crisis and build a sustainable future. However, human activities have led to significant ocean pollution, threatening the health of our oceans and their ability to mitigate climate change. One of the most pressing issues is plastic pollution, which is closely linked to the fossil fuel industry. As plastic breaks down into microplastics, it accumulates in the ocean, disrupting its capacity to absorb and sequester carbon dioxide.

The production, use, and disposal of plastic release greenhouse gases, contributing to climate change. According to Leavitt, if plastic were a country, it would be the fifth-largest emitter of greenhouse gases. The extraction, refining, and manufacture of plastics are carbon-intensive processes, and the incineration of plastic waste releases additional greenhouse gases and toxic pollutants into the atmosphere.

The presence of microplastics in the ocean also alters the Albedo effect, which measures how much light a surface reflects. When darker plastic particles mix with bright snow and ice, they absorb more sunlight, leading to quicker snowmelt and further contributing to climate change. Additionally, plastic pollution harms marine life and ecosystems, diminishing the ability of organisms like plankton to mitigate global warming by sequestering carbon.

The ocean plays a vital role in regulating the climate, and its health is crucial for addressing the climate crisis. To protect our oceans, we must transition from a single-use society to a circular economy, reduce our carbon footprint, and prevent plastic and harmful chemicals from entering the ocean. By addressing ocean pollution and allowing the ocean to recover, we can harness its potential to help build a sustainable future.

In summary, the oceans are absorbing carbon dioxide, becoming more acidic due to human activities contributing to ocean pollution, particularly plastic pollution. This disruption to the ocean's natural processes exacerbates climate change, highlighting the urgent need for action to protect our oceans and mitigate its impacts.

Plastic waste harms marine life and ecosystems

The ocean is a vulnerable environment that is susceptible to plastic waste pollution. Once plastic waste enters the ocean, it can be carried by waves and storms to even the most remote regions of the ocean, where it accumulates in large gyres or becomes embedded in shorelines and delicate coastal ecosystems. The durability of plastic, which can take hundreds to thousands of years to degrade, poses a significant threat to marine life and ecosystems.

Large plastic items can entangle marine mammals and fish, leading to starvation, injury, and increased vulnerability to predators. Discarded fishing nets can smother and damage coral reefs, hindering their healthy growth. Small plastic fragments can be mistaken for food by seabirds and other marine species, causing suffocation, starvation, and toxic contamination. Microplastics, invisible to the naked eye, can be ingested by marine organisms, transferring toxic chemicals to their fatty tissues.

The presence of plastic waste in the ocean also encourages the growth of pathogens. Corals that come into contact with plastic have an 89% chance of contracting diseases, compared to a 4% likelihood for corals that are not exposed to plastic. Plastic pollution affects a wide range of marine species, including seabirds, sea turtles, whales, dolphins, and seahorses. It is estimated that up to 13 million metric tons of plastic end up in the ocean each year, with plastic debris affecting up to 800 species worldwide.

To address the issue of plastic waste harming marine life and ecosystems, it is crucial to focus on prevention and source reduction. This includes minimizing plastic leakage into natural environments, reducing the toxicity of plastics, and promoting reuse, repurposing, and effective recycling. Moving away from a single-use culture and embracing a circular economy can help mitigate the impact of plastic pollution on marine ecosystems. Additionally, advocating for science-based policies and collaborating with organizations such as Oceana can contribute to restoring abundant and biodiverse oceans.

Plastic pollution is intricately linked to climate change. As 99% of plastics are derived from fossil feedstocks, the production, use, and disposal of plastic contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions. The incineration of plastic waste releases greenhouse gases and toxic pollutants into the atmosphere. Furthermore, plastic pollution in the ocean may interfere with its capacity to absorb and sequester carbon dioxide, exacerbating the impacts of climate change. Addressing plastic pollution is, therefore, essential in mitigating climate change and preserving marine life and ecosystems.

Oil industry lobbying against plastic regulations

Ocean pollution and climate change are fundamentally linked. Plastic pollution, in particular, is threatening the ability of the global community to keep the rise in global temperatures below 1.5°C. The production, use, and disposal of plastic create significant greenhouse gas emissions, which cause climate change.

The oil industry has a clear interest in the continued use of plastic, as plastic is made from oil and gas. It is, therefore, not surprising that the oil industry has been lobbying against plastic regulations.

Trade groups representing the world's biggest oil and chemical companies, including BASF, ExxonMobil, Dow Chemical, DuPont, Ineos, BP, and Shell, have opposed regulating toxic and persistent chemicals in microplastics. They argue that there is insufficient evidence to justify the regulation of certain chemicals, such as the plastic additive UV-328, which is a persistent organic pollutant (POP) that does not easily break down in nature. The inclusion of UV-328 in the Stockholm Convention, the UN's global treaty on POPs, would lead to bans on its production and use, setting a significant precedent for regulating chemicals in microplastics and plastic waste.

The American Chemistry Council (ACC) and the European Chemical Industry Council (CEFIC) have been actively lobbying against the regulation of UV-328, expressing concerns about the potential precedent it could set. They have been in regular contact with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the State Department, voicing opposition to domestic and international efforts to restrict plastic use.

The presence of oil industry lobbyists at UN talks on cutting plastic pollution has been a cause for concern for civil society groups, who worry that the negotiation process may be undermined. Nearly 200 fossil fuel and chemical industry lobbyists planned to join the United Nations negotiations on the first global treaty to curb plastic pollution, outnumbering diplomatic representatives from certain regions. These lobbyists have privileged access to sensitive discussions, and their heavy presence may create power imbalances that obstruct progress toward reducing plastic pollution.

Land-based activities cause nearly half of ocean pollution

Climate change and ocean pollution are interconnected issues. Oceans play a critical role in regulating the climate, and their health is of utmost importance in mitigating climate change. However, human activities have led to ocean pollution, threatening the ability of oceans to play their vital role in combating climate change.

Land-based activities, such as sewage, industrial and agricultural runoff, garbage dumping, and chemical spills, contribute to nearly half of ocean pollution. This has severe ecological consequences, especially in the marine environment. For instance, plastic waste harms marine life and ecosystems, impairing the ability of organisms to combat global warming by sequestering carbon. Plankton, for example, are tiny organisms that perform photosynthesis, producing oxygen and organic material. While they constitute only ∽1–2% of total global plant carbon, they process between 30 and 50 billion metric tons of carbon annually, amounting to about 40% of the world's carbon processing.

Additionally, plastic pollution, particularly in the form of microplastics, alters the Albedo effect, which measures how much light a surface reflects. When darker plastic particles mix with bright snow and ice, they absorb more sunlight, leading to quicker snowmelt in polar and glacial regions. This further exacerbates the impacts of climate change.

The production, use, and disposal of plastic also contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions. The extraction, refining, and manufacture of plastics are carbon-intensive activities that release greenhouse gases at each stage of the production process. Furthermore, the incineration of plastic waste releases significant greenhouse gases and toxic pollutants into the atmosphere.

To address these interconnected issues, it is essential to transition from a single-use society to a circular economy, reducing our reliance on single-use plastics and embracing reusable, refillable, and repairable alternatives. By doing so, we can protect our oceans, combat climate change, and build a sustainable future.

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