Wealthiest 10% drive global warming while the poorest suffer

HQ Team

May 12, 2025: The world’s richest 10% are responsible for nearly two-thirds of the observed global warming since 1990, a study published in Nature Climate Change found.

This elite group, comprising billionaires, multimillionaires, and high-income earners, contributes seven times more to climate extremes than the remaining 90% of humanity combined, the report which exposed the staggering imbalance in climate responsibility, revealed.

Even more shockingly, the top 1% alone produces 20 times the emissions of the poorest 99%, revealing a climate crisis disproportionately fueled by extreme wealth.

10% accounts for 50% emissions

The research, which combined climate modeling with global economic data, found that since 2019, the wealthiest 10% accounted for nearly half of all emissions through luxury consumption, high-carbon investments, and corporate ownership. Meanwhile, the poorest 50% of the world—approximately 4 billion people—were responsible for just 10% of emissions, despite bearing the brunt of climate disasters.

“If everyone emitted at the rate of the bottom 50%, global warming would have barely increased since 1990,” said study co-author Carl-Friedrich Schleussner.

This disparity is not accidental but embedded in economic systems that prioritize wealth accumulation over sustainability. In the U.S., where the top 1% controls 80% of corporate assets, climate policy remains dictated by executives and shareholders whose investments in fossil fuels, private aviation, and industrial agriculture drive planetary heating.

The study moves beyond individual consumption critiques, instead tracing emissions to their root: capital ownership. Private jets, mega-yachts, and sprawling estates are just the visible tip of the iceberg—behind them lies a network of oil rigs, deforestation-linked supply chains, and financial stakes in polluting industries.

Loot and dump

Climate journalist George Monbiot starkly summarized the dynamic: “To the ultra-wealthy, the Earth is both loot and dump.” The relentless extraction of resources, fueled by luxury demand and profit motives, has turned ecosystems into sacrifice zones.

While ordinary citizens are lectured about carbon footprints—told to recycle, eat less meat, and switch to LED bulbs—the data proves these measures are eclipsed by the emissions of the rich. A single billionaire’s space flight emits more CO2 than a lifetime of responsible living by thousands.

The consequences are catastrophic and unequal. From Pakistan’s climate-driven floods to drought-stricken East Africa, the poorest nations—which contributed least to emissions—face the deadliest impacts. Meanwhile, coastal mansions and private islands shield elites from the storms they helped create. This injustice is compounded by “greenwashing” tactics, where corporations controlled by the wealthy promote individual responsibility narratives to divert blame from systemic drivers.

Solutions must match the scale of the problem. Experts argue for progressive carbon taxes targeting private jets, luxury real estate, and corporate polluters, alongside bans on fossil fuel lobbying. Some propose rewriting trade laws to hold multinationals accountable for supply-chain emissions.

“Climate justice isn’t just about reducing emissions—it’s about redistributing power,” notes economist Jason Hickel. Without dismantling the structures enabling elite pollution, climate goals remain impossible.

The study’s message is clear: the climate crisis is a crisis of inequality. Until policies rein in the excesses of the ultra-rich, the world’s poorest will keep paying with their lives—and the planet’s future will remain held hostage by a privileged few.