Plastics have become one of the most prolific materials on the planet: in 2015 we produced about 380 million tonnes of plastics globally, up from 2 million tonnes in the 1950s. Yet today only 15% of this plastic waste is collected and recycled into secondary plastics globally each year. This ...

While plastics are extremely useful materials for modern society, plastics production and waste generation continue to increase with worsening environmental impacts despite international, national and local policy responses, as well as industry commitments. The first of two reports, this Outlook intends to inform and support policy efforts to combat plastic leakage.

Adopting more sustainable ways of managing the ocean is a global priority: protecting its health will bring benefits to all. Developing countries face specific challenges, as many depend heavily on ocean-based industries and are overly exposed to the consequences of ocean degradation.

Microplastics: Origins, Risks, and Mitigation discusses the sources, origin, and health risk assessment of microplastics in the environment. The various contamination indices, like contamination factor, atmospheric behavior, enrichment factor, and marine pollution are also included to provide further context on the state of microplastics in the environment and environmental impacts. The book present reviews on microplastics toxicology research, health hazards, and green remedial solutions for pollution control in terrestrial and aquatic environments, aiming to provide scientists and researchers with the knowledge to combat microplastic pollutants through sustainable means. Covering a variety of approaches, techniques, and scenarios, this book is a key resource for environmental scientists working to address microplastic environmental pollutants. It presents reviews on microplastics toxicology research, health hazards, and green remedial solutions for pollution control in terrestrial and aquatic environments. - Covers microplastics contamination in the environment such as soil, water, and air - Analyzes microplastics effects on the environment, health, and environmental risk - Provides analysis on environmental treatment technology

The COVID-19 pandemic plunged the EU into its worst-ever recession and risks increasing inequalities, notably between regions. Thanks to a bold and innovative policy response, including a common instrument to finance national recovery plans (Next Generation EU), growth is rebounding, but ambitious reforms will be essential to heal the scars of the pandemic and succeed in the green and digital transitions.

The United States, the world’s largest economy, has made progress in reducing several environmental pressures while maintaining one of the highest Gross Domestic Products per capita in the world. It has decoupled emissions of greenhouse gases, air pollutants, water abstractions and domestic material consumption from economic and population growth.

The COVID-19 pandemic has shocked economies around the world and created an era of global instability. As the pandemic comes to a close, it is essential to examine global economies in order to achieve and maintain global stability. By maintaining global stability, the world may be prepared for future economic shocks. The Research Anthology on Macroeconomics and the Achievement of Global Stability discusses the emerging opportunities, challenges, and strategies within the field of macroeconomics. It features advancements in the field that encourage global economic stability. Covering topics such as Islamic banking, international trade, and Econophysics, this major reference work is an ideal resource for economists, government leaders and officials, business leaders and executives, finance professionals, students and educators of higher education, librarians, researchers, and academicians.

Available online: http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:norden:org:diva-6180 A new report titled Possible elements of a new global agreement to prevent plastic pollution aims to develop global sustainability criteria for product design, providing the tools for governments to regulate national markets. Potential objectives and strategic goals are defined, a first structure for a potential new global agreement is outlined, and national implementation measures are identified to achieve the global goal of zero discharge of plastics into the environment. By addressing the issue at the design phase, all sources and pathways of marine plastic pollution can be addressed. Importantly, the existing weakness in the current framework on upstream and midstream activities of the plastics value chain can be addressed by providing robust national financial mechanisms that improve downstream activities in all countries.

Circularity of Plastics: Sustainability, Emerging Materials, and Valorization of Waste Plastic takes an innovative, interdisciplinary approach to circularity and sustainability in plastics, with an emphasis on plastic waste and end-of-life treatment and options for recycling, re-use, valorization and development of biomass-based polymers. The book introduces key concepts of sustainable materials, the circular economy, and lifecycle assessment, and discusses challenges in the valorization of waste. Other sections cover the upcycling of waste plastic into new materials and fuels, with dedicated chapters exploring state-of-the-art techniques for conversion to new sustainable polymers, fuel, fine chemicals and carbon nanomaterials. Emerging technologies used to produce functional polymers from renewable feedstocks, including CO2, biomass, natural polymers, polylactic acid (PLA), and polyhydroxyalkanoate-based materials (PHAs) are then explored, with a final chapter focusing on applications of sustainable materials, challenges, and future perspectives. This is a valuable resource for researchers, scientists, engineers, R&D professionals, and advanced students from a range of disciplines and backgrounds, with an interest in sustainable materials, circularity in plastics, and polymer waste and valorization. - Explains the fundamental concepts of sustainable materials, circular economy, lifecycle assessment, and valorization of plastic waste - Presents cutting-edge methods for the conversion or upcycling of waste to sustainable polymers, fuel and fine chemicals, and carbon nanomaterials - Provides detailed coverage of the development of functional polymers from a range of sustainable and renewable resources

Sustainable development has always been a contested concept and has been extensively debated over the last 30 years with new classifications arising since then. There was a previous push for the radical transformations of the market economy to downscale production and consumption that would increase human well-being and enhance ecological conditions. Because of this conflict, there was a need for a new model that challenges and could be the alternative for the liner economy; this new model is called the circular economy. A circular economy aimed at eliminating waste and the continual use of resources. It gained its ground in the era of disruptive technological advancement and a dynamic global value chain. By supporting resource-efficient industrial models, the circular economy preserves and improves natural capital, optimizes the value of resources, and abolishes negative environmental externalities such as pollution. Examining the Intersection of Circular Economy, Forestry, and International Trade explores the link between the circular economy and various aspects of the business and environment to understand the usage and viability of adapting the circular economy from a business perspective. The chapters highlight the transition to the circular economy, its implementation across society, its intersection with forestry and international trade, and the solutions and challenges of the circular economy. This book is aimed at researchers in the field of business management, economics, and environmental studies along with practitioners, stakeholders, researchers, academicians, and students looking for more information on the various fields impacting the circular economy as well as the implementation, usage, and viability of a widespread adoption of a circular economy.