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Copyright of Methaodos: Social Science Journal / Methaodos: Revista de Ciencias Sociales is the property of Departamento de Ciencias de la Comunicacion y Sociologia, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Microplastics are polymer-based materials with carbon as their main framework. During degradation, they release greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane. Additionally, environmental microplastics can enter plant tissues, triggering oxidative stress in plant cells, adversely affecting photosynthesis, metabolism, gene expression, and other growth parameters. This reduction in plant efficiency in sequestering and utilizing atmospheric carbon dioxide indirectly impacts global carbon cycling, exacerbating the global greenhouse effect. Furthermore, environmental microplastics significantly alter soil structure and the composition of microbial communities, affecting the emissions of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, thus indirectly promoting greenhouse gas emissions. Increasing research suggests a mutual reinforcement between microplastic pollution and global climate warming, where microplastic pollution exacerbates global climate warming, and the rise in global average temperature leads to the resuspension of microplastics in sediments, intensifying microplastic pollution in the environment. This article primarily focuses on the impacts of environmental microplastic pollution on different ecosystems and the relationship between microplastic pollution and global climate warming. It summarizes the effects of microplastic pollution on greenhouse gas emissions in marine, terrestrial, and atmospheric ecosystems, as well as the mechanisms by which microplastics and climate change affect ecosystem services. By delving into the intricate connection between microplastic pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, this paper aims to raise awareness of the climate change caused by microplastic pollution and calls for further research on the impacts of microplastics on ecosystems and global climate change, with the ultimate goal of protecting ecosystems and human health. Highlights: • MPs influence microbial communities, indirectly promoting GHG emissions. • MPs hinder plant photosynthesis, reducing CO2 sequestration efficiency. • MPs pollution and climate change interact and exacerbate each other. • Human intervention and regulation can mitigate the impact of MPs on global warming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A triple environmental crisis marks the current century: the climate, biodiversity and pollution emergencies that challenge¡ societies around the world and require global dialogue. Consequently, it seems worth assessing across international strata, whether young adults living in different regions would share social representations of the environmental crisis. Built on findings from 16 focus group discussions held in Ireland and Uruguay, comprising 109 participants, the objective of this article is to uncover and compare between countries: which environmental issues remain crucial for young citizens of diverse backgrounds and affiliations; how coincidental issues of concern are articulated across countries; and how structural factors are perceived as key to an environmentally unsustainable system. Let alone the case of Climate Change, the main findings point to shared topics of concern, such as Waste Generation and Disposal or Food Production and Consumption, with contrasting social representations of them between the two regions, which shed light on how environmental risk is socially built in dialogue with the context despite global discursive trends, in a highly mediatized and glocal era. Unlike university students focused studies, the paper offers a qualitative approach to the perceptions of young adults of diverse backgrounds in both countries.