Even our wealthiest 10% pollute less than regular earners in rich nations: Study

According to a recent study, even middle-class individuals in wealthy nations emit more carbon dioxide than the richest 10% of individuals in developing nations like Brazil, India, and other countries in Asia and South America.

The study, conducted by the New Delhi-based climate think tank Council for Energy, Environment, and Water (CEEW), was released ahead of the UN climate talks in Dubai. It reveals that the richest 10% of developed countries and China together produce 22% more CO2 than all the developing countries combined.

According to the study, a person’s carbon emissions are six to fifteen times higher than those of a person in the lowest decile of income in Saudi Arabia, the US, or Australia.

Using information from the World Bank and the World Inequality Database, the researchers examined per capita CO2 emissions for various income levels in 14 nations, the EU, and the ASEAN region for this study.

When combined, these nations are responsible for 81% of the world’s emissions, 86% of its GDP, and 66% of its population.

According to CEEW CEO Arunabha Ghosh, the analysis unequivocally demonstrates that not all people bear equal blame for rising global carbon emissions.

In many developing nations, the top 10% of emitters produce fewer emissions per person than the average in wealthy nations. This emphasises the scientific underpinnings of “common but differentiated responsibilities” once more, particularly in light of COP28’s mirror image of previous commitments and unmet promises.

Leading the Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE) movement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi encourages nations to eschew highly consumerist lifestyles and embrace eco-friendly living habits.

Rebalancing the consumption patterns of the Global North and the Global South is called for, given the criticality of this decade (2021–2030) for climate action.

It is clear that different countries have different historical emissions and contributions to global warming. For example, although making up only 4% of the world’s population now, the United States was responsible for 17% of worldwide emissions between 1850 and 2021. On the other hand, India, which accounts for 18% of global population, has only produced 5% of global greenhouse gas emissions to date.

Oxfam International, an independent nonprofit organisation, estimates that in 2015, approximately half of the world’s emissions came from the richest 10% of the population.

Significant emission reductions can result from pushing the wealthiest to adopt low-carbon lifestyles, according to the CEEW study.

More than 3.4 billion tonnes of CO2 might be saved yearly if China and the richest 10% of developed nations cut their carbon footprint even by half. Furthermore, the researchers suggested that a carbon tax on China and the wealthiest 10% of industrialised nations might raise $500 billion and deter very carbon-intensive spending habits.

These monies could be applied to resilience building, de-risking clean technologies, research and development, and climate change mitigation.

‘Developed nations (or regions) and China’ in this study are the US, the UK, Saudi Arabia, Canada, China, Europe, Japan, Russia, Australia, and Turkey. ‘Developing countries (or regions)’ include Argentina, Brazil, India, Mexico, South Africa, and ASEAN.

(With agency inputs)