Rich People Cause More Than Twice CO2 Emission Than Poor, Yet Poor Suffer Most
This report ¡®Confronting Carbon Inequality¡¯ by Oxfam shows the eye-opening reality of the inequality between the rich and the poor, when it comes to carbon emissions.
It is no secret that the riches of the world do things to their liking and the repercussions of that are experienced by the poor -- whether it is due to deforestation, destruction of habitat for their monetary gain or generating a ton of waste.
Reuters
And now, a new study has found that emissions caused by one percent of the world's richest people is more than twice those of the poorest people in the world.
This report ¡®Confronting Carbon Inequality¡¯ by Oxfam shows the eye-opening reality of the inequality between the rich and the poor, when it comes to carbon emissions. The research, conducted in collaboration with Stockholm Environment Institute looked at consumption of emissions of people belonging to different income groups from the year 1990 to 2015 -- the period during which CO2 in the air nearly doubled.
The report shows that the richest 10 percent of the world -- that comprises around 630 million people living in urban areas -- contributed to a little over half of the world¡¯s CO2 emissions.
However, the richest one percent were responsible for fifteen percent of total emissions -- more than double that of the poorest half in the world which contributed to just seven percent of global emissions in a year.
Danny Sriskandarajah, chief executive of Oxfam in the UK, said: "Extreme carbon inequality is a direct consequence of the decades-long pursuit by governments and businesses of grossly unequal and carbon-intensive economic growth whatever the cost."
Researchers highlighted the fact that even though the riches are contributing more to the CO2 emissions, the ill effects of such emissions are actually being suffered by the poor, in the form of natural calamities, temperatures skyrocketing, causing health issues to the homeless.
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The organisation is asking for an increase in wealth taxes levied as well as implementing carbon taxes for use of luxury means of transport like private jets, yachts as well as gas-guzzling SUV cars.
Sriskandarajah added, "Climate change is already causing immense hardship for many people. To prevent greater suffering, we need bold and urgent action to radically cut emissions before it's too late."
