Publications

We now know that plastics, from their start to their waste, are polluting the oceans and also fueling the climate crisis. This new research makes it clear: every stage of the plastic lifecycle emits greenhouse gases, and plastics may undermine the ocean's ability to store carbon. The evidence is growing, but so are the gaps in our understanding — and we have to fill them. — Dr. Sylvia Earle

Report

Plastics: Exposing Their Climate Impacts

What we know, what we need to know, & recommendations for research and policy

Authors: Holly Kaufman, Dr. Alice (Xia) Zhu, and the Environmental Law Institute (Cecilia Diedrich and Dr. John Doherty), with key input from the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Dr. Karen Raubenheimer, University of Wollongong, Australia.

This is the first report to comprehensively assess the existing peer-reviewed data on the climate impacts of plastics. The report analyzes existing peer-reviewed data, identifies critical data gaps, lays out a roadmap for continued research, and recommends policies and actions to support that research and to include plastics' climate impacts in relevant models, scenarios, accounting, and analyses.

Read the full report Read the executive summary Read the press release Read the report brief Read the Washington Post article

Peer-Reviewed Paper

The knowns and unknowns in our understanding of how plastics impact climate change: a systematic review

Frontiers in Environmental Science, April 2025

Authors: Dr. Alice (Xia) Zhu, Holly Kaufman, and Dr. Karen Raubenheimer

Read the Frontiers paper

Scientific Literature

Greenhouse gas emissions from plastic photodegradation: state of knowledge and future directions

Environmental Research Letters, February 2026

Authors: Advisory Board members Dr. Sarah-Jeanne Royer and Dr. Alice (Xia) Zhu

Policy Briefs

Briefer for COP-30: Including the undercounted climate impacts of plastics in the UN Climate Regime

Read the Policy Brief