World Wildlife Fund Sustainability Works

Understanding the Scale of Plastic Pollution

By now, most people are aware that plastic pollution has become a crisis, devastating ecosystems and communities around the globe. That’s because the evidence is all around us in plain view – littering roadsides, overflowing from trash cans, and washing up on beaches. However, while we may know that plastic pollution is pervasive, it is hard to fully comprehend the monumental scale of the problem when so much more of it is out of our sight, from the plastic waste we export to developing countries to the plastic floating in remote parts of the ocean or breaking down into microplastics.

If you don’t understand the scale of a problem, how can you effectively take steps to address it? How can you know what is working and what is not? That’s where data collection comes in.

And more specifically, the need to make sure that the data we are using to understand plastic pollution are harmonized across companies, industries, and even countries – otherwise we will never fully comprehend what we are up against or what solutions are most impactful.

When it comes to adapting to climate change, the private sector seems to be spinning its wheels. They remain focused solely on hardening their business to climate impacts, when they should be addressing the root causes of climate vulnerability, such as social inequality and nature loss. Too many companies still operate as they did 30 years ago, with a myopic view of what risk entails and a singular focus on achieving short-term profit. If they can muster a broader, longer-term vision, companies could benefit from greater investment in a more holistic and nature-friendly approach to business.

It was meant to be the breakthrough moment in the global fight against plastic pollution. After two years of negotiation and countless hours of work from hundreds of people around the world, the UN process to adopt a global treaty against plastic pollution would finally conclude last week. But after a roller coaster of a week, we left disappointed.

How can wood furniture help ensure forests remain standing? Using wood from responsibly managed forests actually can help keep forests healthy for generations to come. Forests managed under rigorous environmental and social criteria can generate income while allowing forests to regenerate naturally, so they continue to provide goods and services that benefit people, wildlife, and climate. This market incentive helps keep forests from being degraded or cleared for agriculture or other uses. So, companies that offer wood products in the marketplace have a crucial role to play in addressing the dual crises of climate change and biodiversity loss through their responsible sourcing decisions.

Without fanfare, the global food system has reached peak land. Since 2000, the amount of land used for food production — both arable land for crops and pasture for livestock — has declined. While that seems to be good news for the environment, we are also still expanding food production into some areas at the expense of forests, grasslands, and wetlands.

Remarkably, since the amount of land that we farm began to decline, we have produced significantly more food. In fact, it is because we can meet global food needs using less land that we are able to decouple agricultural land use from food production. This trend can go much further and faster. Recognizing that today is Food, Agriculture, and Water Day at COP29, here is a way to make that happen.

I can’t help but think about the world my daughter Skye and her generation will inherit. From the moment I first held her in my arms, I instantly knew two things to be true: I will never be able to fully shield her from the world, but heck if I’m not going to try anyway. As a mother, and as a conservationist who has spent the last 18 years dedicated to ending plastic pollution’s chokehold on our planet, I fear for my daughter’s future as never before. And yet, at the same time, I have never been more hopeful.

For as long as I can remember, my heart has been intertwined with the natural world. Growing up, I was that kid who would rescue stranded worms after a rainstorm or spend hours marveling at the intricate patterns of leaves and flowers. This deep-seated love for nature and all its creatures has shaped my life and career in profound ways.

For most of us, Thanksgiving is all about the food. And for those looking to have a more environmentally-friendly Thanksgiving this year, the number one thing we can do is take steps to value the food we’re serving. This starts with us recognizing all of the resources that go into producing our Thanksgiving meal (long before we purchase our ingredients at the supermarket), and it ends with us doing our part to make sure none of it goes to waste.

In the US Northern Great Plains, owners of 112 ranches are working with WWF to save one of the world’s last remaining grassland habitats. Multi-generational family ranchers across Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Wyoming are contributing to important conservation efforts to restore and preserve grasslands by implementing nature positive changes on their ranches. The work is being done through the Ranch Systems and Viability Planning (RSVP) network – a program that provides comprehensive training and support for ranchers to develop sustainable grazing management plans. Ranchers can apply to receive technical assistance, educational training, participate in ecological monitoring, and connect with peers through networking opportunities.