Richest 1% emit as much pollution as two-thirds of humanity

According to a recent report on climate inequality conducted by Oxfam, the planet-heating carbon emissions generated by the world’s wealthiest surged to 5.9 billion tonnes in 2019 — enough to cause 1.3 million excess deaths due to extreme heat.

The richest 1% of humanity are responsible for around the same percentage of global carbon emissions as the 5 billion people who represent the 66% poorest, with dire consequences for vulnerable communities and international efforts to tackle the climate crisis.

This is according to a comprehensive new study published by Oxfam earlier this week, which uncovered that the CO2 generated by the world’s wealthiest surged to 5.9 billion tonnes in 2019, enough to cause more than a million excess deaths due to extreme heat.

The report, titled Climate Equality: A Planet for the 99%, used research conducted by the Stockholm Environment Institute to assess the consumption emissions of different income groups.

It highlights the stark gap between the carbon footprints of the uber-rich (whose lifestyles and investments in polluting industries like fossil fuels are driving global…