“There’s a chance that microplastics, already in every corner of the planet, will have a greater impact on certain species over time. Both the climate crisis and plastic pollution, which come from society’s over-reliance on fossil fuels, could combine to worsen an already stressed environment in the near future,” said Stephanie Wright, co-author and associate professor at Imperial’s School of Public Health, in a news release.
Authors want ‘rational response’ to tackle plastic, global warming
A thorough examination of current evidence shines a spotlight on how the climate crisis is deepening the negative impact of plastic pollution.
So, researchers are calling for a “rational response” to address the pollution at source, by quickly and significantly reducing emissions that enter the environment.
“We discuss challenges but also solutions, through future research, policies and public awareness, that must harness the same enthusiasm that made plastic a fundamental cornerstone of the modern world in the first place,” the authors said in the study.
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“The threat that plastics produced, used and discarded today could cause global-scale impacts in the future is compelling motivation to take appropriate action now.”