塑膠與氣候：全球減塑戰略急需聯手

根據聯合國塑膠污染國際治理委員會（International Governing Committee on Plastic Pollution）最新估計，2024年全球消耗的塑膠總量已超過5億公噸，其中絕大多數很快便淪為廢棄物，對環境造成難以逆轉的衝擊。

According to the latest estimates from the International Governing Committee on Plastic Pollution (IGCPP), global plastic consumption exceeded 500 million metric tons in 2024, with the vast majority rapidly becoming waste, causing irreversible environmental impacts.

Even more concerning, around 98% of single-use plastic products are still produced using fossil fuels, rather than recycled plastics. The committee warns that if this trend continues, by 2040, emissions from these products could account for 19% of the global carbon budget for limiting warming to 1.5°C, severely jeopardizing the achievement of climate goals.

更令人憂慮的是，約98%的一次性塑膠製品仍是以化石燃料為原料生產，而非再生塑料。該委員會指出，若依此趨勢發展，到2040年，這類產品所產生的溫室氣體排放將佔據全球1.5°C升溫碳排預算的19%，嚴重威脅全球氣候目標的實現。

調查揭露：石化產業與全球品牌的隱性供應鏈

環保組織 Stand.earth 日前發布一份重磅調查報告，透過海關與貿易數據、企業10-K年報、供應商揭露文件與投資者簡報等，追蹤全球一次性塑膠包裝品背後的供應鏈關係。此次調查聚焦於聚乙烯（PE）與聚對苯二甲酸乙二酯（PET）製成的塑膠包材，這些材質主要來源為來自美國 Permian 油盆地的乙烷（ethane）提煉物。

The Hidden Supply Chain: Petrochemical Industry and Global Brands

Environmental organization Stand.earth recently released an impactful investigative report, tracking the global supply chain of single-use plastic packaging using customs and trade data, corporate 10-K filings, supplier disclosures, and investor presentations. The investigation focused on plastic packaging made from polyethylene (PE) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), materials primarily sourced from ethane extracted from the Permian Basin in the U.S.

雖然每家公司購買一次性塑膠的具體數量屬於商業機密無法量化，但報告指出，Coca-Cola 是與石化公司供應鏈連結最多的企業，共有10條明確關係，其次為 Unilever、Nestlé 與 PepsiCo。這四家公司，亦正是國際組織「Break Free From Plastic」2023年點名的全球塑膠污染製造大戶。

While specific quantities of single-use plastic purchases by companies are considered trade secrets, the report highlights that Coca-Cola is the company most connected to petrochemical supply chains, with 10 distinct links. It is followed by Unilever, Nestlé, and PepsiCo. These four companies are also listed by the global organization Break Free From Plastic as major contributors to global plastic pollution.

塑膠與氣候危機的連結：常被忽視的碳排來源

「大多數氣候對話聚焦於運輸或能源部門，但事實上，石化業正迅速成為推動化石燃料需求的最大引擎之一。」

— Stand.earth 調查研究員 Devyani Singh

這份調查揭示，塑膠製品不僅是垃圾問題，更是氣候變遷的深層推手。乙烷在裂解為乙烯後會被製成塑膠顆粒，再經由全球供應鏈流入包裝、飲料與快速消費品產業，形成隱形碳足跡。這類產品在生產、運輸、使用與棄置全周期中，皆伴隨著高能耗與高碳排。

全球塑膠條約進度落後，急需企業與國家共同承擔責任

Stand.earth 在報告中呼籲各國政府與企業，儘速支持並推動聯合國全球塑膠條約的制定與落實，以建立約束性的國際機制來控制塑膠生產與污染。

目前這份條約仍處於談判階段，第五輪談判預計於2025年8月於瑞士舉行，進度已明顯落後原定時程。Stand.earth 強調，唯有建立明確的減量目標與污染者付費原則，才能有效阻止塑膠污染與石化產業的擴張。

The Link Between Plastics and the Climate Crisis: An Overlooked Carbon Source

"Most climate discussions focus on transportation or the energy sector, but the petrochemical industry is rapidly becoming one of the biggest drivers of fossil fuel demand."

- Devyani Singh, Investigator, Stand.earth

The investigation reveals that plastic products are not just a waste problem, but a deep driver of climate change. Ethane, when cracked into ethylene, is transformed into plastic pellets, which then flow through global supply chains into packaging, beverages, and fast-moving consumer goods industries, creating an invisible carbon footprint. These products are associated with high energy consumption and carbon emissions throughout their lifecycle - from production and transport to use and disposal.

Global Plastic Treaty: Delayed Progress and the Need for Collective Responsibility

企業該如何回應？永續轉型的挑戰與機會

被點名的企業如可口可樂、聯合利華、雀巢與百事可樂，近年皆宣稱推動減塑與循環經濟策略，如：

但本次報告指出，若未從源頭減少對石化製塑膠的依賴，企業的「減塑承諾」將淪為漂綠行為（Greenwashing）。

結語：邁向減塑與淨零的雙軌戰略刻不容緩

塑膠與氣候議題的交集，顯示出現代永續發展挑戰的交織複雜性。對政府而言，須跨部門整合氣候政策與污染治理；對企業而言，須從採購決策、供應鏈管理、產品設計到末端回收建立全面策略。

Stand.earth calls on governments and businesses to urgently support and advance the creation and implementation of the United Nations Global Plastic Treaty. This treaty is meant to establish a binding international framework to control plastic production and pollution.

Currently, the treaty is still in the negotiation phase, with the fifth round of talks scheduled for August 2025 in Switzerland. The process has significantly fallen behind its original timeline. Stand.earth emphasizes that only with clear reduction targets and a polluter pays principle can we effectively curb plastic pollution and the expansion of the petrochemical industry.

How Should Companies Respond? Challenges and Opportunities in Sustainable Transformation

Companies named in the report, including Coca-Cola, Unilever, Nestlé, and PepsiCo, have all announced initiatives to reduce plastic use and promote circular economy strategies, such as:

全球塑膠污染與氣候危機的交集，正浮現為永續發展中最棘手的議題之一。思享永續顧問服務公司的林沂嫺顧問認為，塑膠製品不僅是廢棄物問題，更是石化業隱形碳排的重要推手。塑膠本質上就是碳密集型商品，尤其在化石燃料轉型壓力加劇的背景下，石化業將塑膠視為需求成長的替代出口，形成另一種氣候風險的暗流。

However, the report points out that unless these companies reduce their reliance on petrochemical-based plastics from the outset, their "plastic reduction commitments" risk becoming nothing more than greenwashing.

Conclusion: A Dual-Track Strategy for Plastic Reduction and Net-Zero Goals is Urgently Needed

這對台灣同樣具有高度警示意義，台灣不僅擁有完整的石化產業鍊，也是塑膠包裝與加工大國。若不儘早轉型，恐將在國際供應鏈中面臨碳關稅、ESG揭露與進口國法規的多重壓力。企業應加速從「回收思維」轉向「源頭減量」，重新檢視包裝設計、原料選擇與供應鏈透明度，才能避免落入漂綠陷阱。

The intersection of plastics and climate issues highlights the complex, interconnected challenges of modern sustainability. For governments, it’s crucial to integrate climate policy and pollution control across departments. For businesses, comprehensive strategies must be established across procurement decisions, supply chain management, product design, and end-of-life recycling.

而對政府來說，單靠減塑法規與回收率指標已遠遠不足，應正視塑膠背後的碳足跡與石化依賴問題，將氣候政策與循環經濟真正整合。推動國內減塑與國際塑膠條約接軌，是台灣邁向淨零未來不可或缺的一環。

Businesses are no longer just part of the pollution problem - they must become key drivers of the solution.