High-income groups disproportionately contribute to climate extremes worldwide

This study shows how GHG emissions from consumption and investments attributable to the wealthiest population groups have disproportionately influenced present-day climate change. The authors link emissions inequality over the period 1990–2020 to regional climate extremes using an emulator-based framework.

Findings show that two-thirds (one-fifth) of warming is attributable to the wealthiest 10% (1%), meaning that individual contributions are 6.5 (20) times the average per capita contribution. For extreme events, the top 10% (1%) contributed 7 (26) times the average to increases in monthly 1-in-100-year heat extremes globally and 6 (17) times more to Amazon droughts. Emissions from the wealthiest 10% in the United States and China led to a two- to threefold increase in heat extremes across vulnerable regions. Quantifying the link between wealth disparities and climate impacts can assist in the discourse on climate equity and justice.