carbon pollution

Fifty of the world’s richest billionaires on average produce more carbon through their investments, private jets and yachts.

The richest 1 percent of the world’s population produced as much carbon pollution in 2019 than the five billion people who made up the poorest two-thirds of humanity, reveals a new Oxfam report today. It comes ahead of the UN climate summit in Dubai, amid growing fears that the 1.5°C target for curtailing rising temperatures appears increasingly unachievable.

Responding to the publication today of the IPCC’s Synthesis Report (SYR), Oxfam’s Climate Policy Lead Nafkote Dabi said: “This is, literally, the last chapter. The science shows that limiting global heating to 1.5°C is still possible —but only just. Unless we pull the emergency brake on deadly carbon pollution, ‘unheard-of’ heatwaves, storms, droughts and floods will continue to become more frequent and hit more places and people."