Decarbonising production

New data from a global study by Trivium Packaging shows 86% of consumers under 45 years old are willing to pay more for more sustainable packaging. In the UK, 47% of consumers preferred the brand with labelling showing the product’s carbon footprint, given a choice of two similar products. A report from Research and Markets shows the global sustainable packaging market will be worth $441.4bn by 2028, with a predicted CAGR of 6.1%.

In particular, there will be a huge focus on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, driven by the 2016 Paris Agreement on climate change. This treaty, signed by 196 countries, commits us to stop our greenhouse gas emissions from rising any further by 2025.

Reducing carbon dioxide emissions is the single biggest challenge facing humanity at this moment in our history. Data from NASA and NOAA (the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) shows steady increases in CO2 in our atmosphere dating back to 1850. Time has nearly run out to meet the 1.5°C warming target of the Paris Agreement and avert climate disaster. To do so, global emissions of greenhouse gases (about 76% of which are CO2) need to peak by 2025 and then drop by 43% before 2030.