Climate Action
Data Doesn’t Do Denial
October 20, 2025
World Statistics Day, created by the United Nations and celebrated every five years, highlights the power of data to shape a sustainable future. At a time when our planet faces unprecedented global environmental change, this year’s theme recognizes that there must be “Quality statistics and data for everyone.” As we mark this day, we want to do our part by spotlighting numbers that matter regarding the stark realities of plastics pollution and fossil fuel consumption. These statistics don’t just tell us where we are now — they show us where we must go in the future and why we can’t afford to wait to get there.
The Plastics Crisis
The world’s first synthetic plastic was created by Leo Baekeland in 1907. What began as an innovative material has become one of the defining environmental crises of our time. Since the beginning of plastics production in the 1950s to 2023, the data shows that more than 9.2 billion tons has been manufactured. Half of all plastic is single use, and as of 2023, a million plastic bottles are purchased every single minute around the world.
In 2022, only 9 percent of plastics worldwide were recycled. Of the remaining 91 percent, 12 percent is incinerated, with the remaining plastic ending up in landfills or the natural environment, like the ocean. This means that the vast majority of all the plastic ever made still exists on our planet in one form or another. Either floating in the ocean, littering our forests, rivers, and cities, or infecting our homes as microplastic dust particles. Without management, scientists predict that 121 million metric tons of plastic waste will be filling in our landfills and polluting the environment will exist by 2050 — weighing the equivalent of more than 36,000 Empire State Buildings.
While plastic has been found everywhere, from the Mariana Trench to Mount Everest, our oceans have become humanity’s favorite plastic dumping ground. As of 2023, there are 21,000 pieces of plastic in the ocean for every single person on Earth. The weight of all the plastic in the ocean alone is equivalent to about 28 Washington Monuments, a number that was calculated at the end of 2019 and that has likely increased since then. As of 2022, there were 300 million tons of plastic produced every year, an amount almost equivalent to the weight of the entire human population. By 2050, pieces of plastic in our ocean are set to outnumber fish.
Plastic Impacts Human Health, Not Just Turtles
Beyond environmental degradation, plastic pollution poses a direct threat to human health. More than 16,000 chemicals are used in plastic productions, with more than 4,200 identifying as potentially hazardous to human health and the environment. For example, chemicals found in plastic water bottles such as bisphenol A, phthalates, and PFAS have been linked to endocrine disruption, decreased reproductive health, and cancer. Everyone should take steps to reduce their plastic exposure across their daily life — from food packaging to common household items to gym routines to pet supplies.
While individual consumers should do what they can to reduce plastic consumption, corporate responsibility for the plastics crisis must be front and center in any solution. In 2021, researchers discovered that 20 companies alone are responsible for producing more than half of the world’s plastic waste. These companies include oil and gas giants and chemical companies.
Additionally, fossil fuel companies have perpetuated the myth that recycling can solve the plastic crisis through their decades-long disinformation campaign. They have spent millions to sell the idea that the majority of plastics can be recycled, when the reality is that there is no economically viable way to recycle most plastics. The reality is that the only way to end the plastics crisis is to reduce plastics production, which is why EARTHDAY.ORG is calling for a reduction in plastic production of 60% by 2040.
This acknowledgement that the only way to solve the plastics crisis is to reduce plastic production inspired attempts from NGOs from around the world to negotiate a Global Plastics Treaty. The second part of the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee convened this past August in Geneva to negotiate a legally binding instrument on plastic pollution. However, talks collapsed and the session adjourned without any clear future commitment after intense lobbying from the plastic industry.
Despite this setback, public demand for action remains overwhelming. A 2021 poll by the Institut Public de Sondage d’Opinion Secteur of 20,000 people, from 28 countries, found that nearly 90 percent believe having a global plastics treaty is important to effectively address the plastic pollution crisis.
The statistics tell us the truth about the plastics crisis — and we must call on our governments to acknowledge and address it. Sign our plastics petition to call on global leaders to create a brighter future, one without plastic pollution.
Fossil Fuel Consumption
The plastics crisis and climate change are not separate challenges — they are connected through fossil fuels. Why? Because over 98 percent of all plastics are made from fossil carbons, namely oil, which are the largest contributors to and primary driver of climate change. Fossil fuels account for around 68 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions and nearly 90 percent of carbon dioxide emissions.
Fossil fuels rose to dominance during the Industrial Revolution and cemented their status during the World Wars. World War I demonstrated how important oil was to power military vehicles, such as tanks, trucks, and warships. World War II was partially decided by access to oil, with fossil fuel shipments helping to determine which nations could most effectively sustain their military offenses and operations. This strategic importance embedded fossil fuels deeply into national security calculations, creating a dependency which still persists today.
Despite climate warnings and the advancement of renewable energy technologies, global fossil fuel consumption is still increasing, with 2024 setting a record high. In 2024, fossil fuels made up 81.5 percent of the world’s primary energy. Coal, oil, and natural gas collectively continue to dominate global primary energy consumption. Oil is the world’s largest energy source, followed by coal.
The human cost of our fossil fuel dependence extends beyond climate change to immediate public health impacts. Fossil fuel air pollutant fine particulate matter was estimated in 2021 to cause 8.7 million premature deaths across the world annually — a rate which means fossil fuel air pollution is killing more people each year than HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria combined.
This excludes the health impacts of other air pollutants from fossil fuel, such as carbon monoxide, lead, and ozone. These facts are alarming, underscoring why transitioning away from fossil fuels is not just an environmental imperative but a public health priority.
The alternative is embracing renewable energy. Its capacity grew at a record rate in 2024. This is why EARTHDAY.ORG is calling for renewable energy generation, globally, to be tripled by 2030. Sign our renewable energy petition to call on global leaders to commit to harnessing renewable energy to build a healthy, sustainable, equitable, and prosperous future for all.
Data for Climate Action
As the facts outlined in this article prove — the truth matters. Quality statistics are essential for driving climate action at every level. Data empowers individuals to make informed choices, enables communities to advocate for change, drives businesses innovation, provides policymakers with evidence for regulations, and compels global leaders to negotiate international agreements.
The data is clear, and the path forward is illuminated by facts and figures. Now it falls to all of us — individuals, communities, businesses, and governments — to turn these statistics into solutions. Because in the fight against climate change, biodiversity loss, and ecosystem degradation, what we measure, we can manage. And what we manage, we can change.
Please consider donating to EARTHDAY.ORG so we can continue to share quality statistics and data for everyone. Your donation fuels our global advocacy and education efforts, protecting the planet and all who call it home.
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