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World’s Richest 1 Percent Largely Responsible for Global Warming: Oxfam Report

November 21, 2023
Goats walk over a barren land near the Afghan border in Balochistan province, Pakistan. Credit: Matiullah Achakzai/ EPA

The world’s wealthiest one percent are disproportionately contributing to the climate crisis, with their carbon emissions exceeding those of the poorest two-thirds of humanity, as revealed in a new report by Oxfam International released ahead of the UN climate summit in Dubai. The report, published on 20 November, highlights the stark contrast between the lifestyles of the super-rich, whose consumption patterns drive global warming, and the vast majority of people around the world who bear the brunt of the climate crisis. The repercussions of the excessive emissions by the richest one percent are dire, estimated to result in a staggering 1.3 million heat-related deaths between 2020 and 2030, a figure eerily equivalent to the population of Dublin, Ireland. The report’s findings underscore the urgent need for drastic action to address the climate crisis, particularly by holding the wealthiest individuals and corporations accountable for their outsized contributions to greenhouse gas emissions. “The super-rich are plundering and polluting the planet to the point of destruction, leaving humanity choking on extreme heat, floods, and drought,” stated Amitabh Behar, interim Executive Director of Oxfam International. Oxfam calls for a radical shift in global consumption…


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