CO2-based　biodegradable　plastics　are　potential　solutions　for　reducing　fossil-fuel　consumption,　mitigating　climate　change,　and　addressing　plastic　pollution　by　reducing　plastic　waste　accumulation.　Poly(propylene　carbonate)　(PPC)　is　a　commercial　CO2-based　biodegradable　plastic　derived　from　CO2　and　propylene　oxide　(PO),　and　it　has　been　used　in　flexible　packaging　and　mulching　film　applications.　However,　the　environmental　performance　of　PPC　is　still　unknown.　Since　China　has　become　the　largest　producer　of　PPC　in　the　world,　this　study　takes　the　industrial　production　technologies　of　PPC　and　its　feedstocks　in　China　as　an　example.　The　cradle-to-gate　life-cycle　inventory　of　PPC　resin　was　compiled,　and　life-cycle　impact　assessment　was　performed　to　assess　the　environmental　impacts　of　PPC　and　mitigation　potentials　based　on　the　ReCiPe　2016　method.　Results　indicated　that　PPC　synthesis　has　the　greatest　impact　on　the　environment　(contributions　of　38–95%　of　16　environmental　impact　categories),　followed　by　PO　production.　Technological　innovation　and　renewable　energy　substitution　scenarios　were　developed　to　explore　the　mitigation　potential　of　PPC.　We　found　that　supercritical　polymerization　technology　has　greater　mitigation　potential　than　photovoltaic　power　substitution,　which　could　reduce　17　impact　categories　of　PPC　by　17–96%　by　reducing　energy　and　dichloromethane　consumption　during　PPC　synthesis.　Photovoltaic　power　substitution　reduced　2–22%　of　11　impact　categories　of　PPC.　Compared　with　conventional　plastics,　PPC　had　advantages　over　conventional　plastics　in　terms　of　17　impact　categories.　The　environmental　impacts　of　PPC　were　2–98%　lower　than　those　of　conventional　plastics.　This　study　emphasizes　the　importance　of　technological　innovation　in　reducing　the　lifecycle　environmental　impacts　of　PPC　and　provides　a　basis　for　environmental　performance　of　CO2-based　biodegradable　plastics　and　the　potential　to　replace　conventional　plastics.　Policy　implications　for　innovations　in　synthesis　technology,　sustainable　feedstocks　and　environmental　impact　assessment　were　proposed,　which　could　provide　valuable　insights　for　practitioners　and　policymakers　in　enhancing　the　sustainability　of　the　plastics　industry　through　biodegradable　plastic　alternatives.　©　2024　Elsevier　Ltd