How is KR 5.3 Tracking?
Manufacturing plastics, chemicals, paper, aluminum, glass, and apparel uses fossil fuels for direct heat. Many of these goods end up incinerated, producing even more emissions.
To eliminate at least 2 gigatons of annual emissions by 2050, our Other Industries key result focuses on recycling materials and switching from carbon to electricity or green hydrogen as a heat source.
By reusing textiles and creating recycled fabrics, we’ll need to produce less from scratch. By innovating building materials, we can use less concrete and add less carbon to the atmosphere.
Finally, some materials should be banned—namely single-use plastics, where we’ll need functional replacements. For example, plastic bottles can be replaced by paperboard boxes and aluminum cans. Plastic bags can give way to unbleached paper or reusable bags made from recycled bottles. Compostable fibers can be used to craft sturdy utensils, straws, and containers.
Data for KR 5.3 is sourced from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) from its annual Emissions Gap Report.