The Plastics Lifecycle: Implications for climate change

Plastics are often treated as a waste problem, but they are fundamentally a health and climate problem. Derived from fossil fuels, plastics contribute to greenhouse gas emissions at every stage of their lifecycle, from extraction and production to use, disposal, and degradation.

The Arctic is uniquely positioned as both a source of petrochemical extraction and an atmospheric sink where plastics and microplastics accumulate, carried by global air and ocean currents. These impacts threaten fragile ecosystems, food systems, and the health of Indigenous and Arctic communities.

Dr. Leonardo Transande and Rosemary Ahtuangaruak will examine the full lifecycle of plastics, the role of fossil fuel expansion in plastic production, and why the Arctic is on the frontlines of this crisis, incorporating a Just Transition perspective, focusing on what it will take to move away from plastic dependence while protecting workers, communities, and Indigenous rights, and building healthier, more sustainable systems for the future.