UNEP Emissions Gap Report – Oxfam Reaction

“The UNEP report shows that the over-consumption of a wealthy minority is fuelling the climate crisis, yet it is poor communities and young people who are paying the price.

“It will be practically and politically impossible to close the emissions gap if governments don’t cut the carbon footprint of the wealthy and end the inequalities which leave millions of people without access to power or unable to heat their homes.

“A fair and green recovery will help the world bounce back from the from COVID-19 pandemic by creating millions of decent jobs, and help build more sustainable, resilient, economies that work for everyone.”

Notes to Editors

Tim Gore, a contributing author to Chapter 6 of the UNEP Emissions Gap Report 2020 – Bridging the Gap: the role of low carbon equitable lifestyles, is available for interview

Oxfam’s report, Confronting Carbon Inequality, revealed that the richest one percent of the world’s population are responsible for more than twice as much carbon pollution as the 3.1 billion people who made up the poorest half of humanity during a critical 25-year period of unprecedented emissions growth. The report, which was released in September 2020, is based on research conducted with the Stockholm Environment Institute.

OxfamGB released new analysis on 8th December showing that the wealthiest 1 per cent of people in the UK each produce 11 times the amount of carbon emissions of someone in the poorest half of the population. Also released was  new analysis that showed that EU emissions cuts in the last 30 years were only achieved among poorer Europeans, while emissions of richest 10% have grown.