Strategic analysis of single-use plastic ban policy for environmental sustainability: the case of Pakistan

Abstract

One of the challenging tasks for governments is to curtail the production and consumption of single-use plastic bags. Despite multiple advantages of plastic and its ubiquity, the environmental damage of single-use plastic bags is irreversible. However, policy intervention by the governments is also a need of the time to reduce its production and consumption. This study provides a strategic analysis of government policy options regarding the ban on single-use plastic production in Pakistan. A game-theoretic model is developed to examine the behavior of plastic bag producers vis-a-vis the government’s climate change policy. The study concludes that game theory is very effective in analyzing the efficient promulgation and productive implementation of environmental management policy regarding banning single-use plastic in Pakistan.