While annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions increased by 60% between 1990 and 2015, the richest 1% of the world's population (about 63 million people) alone were responsible for 15% of cumulative emissions during this period, twice as much as the 3.1 billion people making up the poorest half of the world’s population (responsible for about 7% of cumulative emissions), according to a new report by the NGO Oxfam and the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) released on Monday 21 September.
The richest 10% of humanity (about 630 million people) were responsible for more than half (52%) of the cumulative emissions over these 25 years, the report says.
According to Oxfam, this group has thus consumed a third (31%) of the global carbon budget still available to limit global warming to 1.5°C in 2100, while the poorest 50% had consumed only 4% of this budget.
Stressing that it is the poorest who suffer most from the consequences of climate change, the NGO denounces an “injustice”.
“The over-consumption by a wealthy minority is fuelling the climate crisis, but it is poor communities and young generations who are paying the highest price”, said Armelle Le Comte, head of climate advocacy at Oxfam France.
See the summary of the report: https://bit.ly/2ZV2aXF (Original version in French by Damien Genicot)