CHAPTER 04
PG 29
THE PRICE TO PAY
Young People Are Demanding Corporate Accountability to Reclaim Their Futures. Children under the age of 15 make up 26% of the world’s population77 today, and they will inherit the climate crisis which is caused in part by the world’s addiction to fossil fuel-based plastic. According to the IPCC, we have only until 2030 to cut carbon emissions by half in order to limit catastrophic climate change. Many of the top corporate plastic polluters that are driving these trends are evading the full costs of their industry and transferring the environmental, social, and health costs onto the next generation to deal with in their lifetimes.
Plastic affects the lives of young people across production, use and disposal. Youth in Global South countries will likely be more affected than those in developed countries. This chapter spotlights what the world will look like for some of these young people if corporations are not held accountable and business continues as usual. Break Free From Plastic’s young leaders come from different countries around the world, many from Global South countries. In the year 2030, they will be 25-33 years old, young adults building a livelihood and perhaps starting families of their own. The climate impacts of plastic throughout its life cycle threaten their ability to lead healthy, fulfilled lives.
PHOTO CREDIT: ENVIGREEN SOCIETY, MOHAMMAD ALAIKA RAHMATULLAH, 2021
