THE TOOLS
Resource Detail
Carbon emissions of richest 1% more than double those of poorest half of the world
Report
Oxfam
PART 1: The Purposeful Investor
Your Worth And Power of the Collective
Reviews the impact of carbon emissions by the wealthiest individuals and explore potential investment opportunities in low-carbon initiatives and solutions.

Oxfam’s press release summarises the Confronting Carbon Inequality research showing the richest 10% produce ~52% of consumption emissions and the richest 1% (15%) emit more than twice the poorest half (7%), with the richest driving the largest increases between 1990–2015; it also calls for wealth and luxury carbon taxes and investing revenue in low‑carbon jobs and adaptation, and highlights high emissions from textiles. This reference is included in Part 1, chapter “Your Worth And Power of the Collective” because it provides the empirical basis and policy prescriptions that align with the book’s argument that collective agency and targeted fiscal and investment strategies (taxing excess consumption, funding low‑carbon solutions and justice‑centred adaptation) are necessary to address carbon inequality and mobilise purposeful investors.
