Confronting carbon inequality in the European Union

Why the European Green Deal must tackle inequality while cutting emissions

Fecha de publicación: 7 Diciembre 2020
Authors: Tim Gore, Mira Alestig

New Oxfam analysis reveals huge carbon inequality in Europe: EU emissions cuts since 1990 have been achieved only among lower and middle income EU citizens, while the total emissions of the richest 10% actually grew.

To achieve the deeper emissions cuts needed by 2030, European leaders must put fairness and a just transition at the heart of the Green Deal, targeting deeper emissions reductions from richer Europeans, while boosting support for lower income and marginalised communities. A Green Deal that tackles both inequality and emissions can help build fairer, healthier and more resilient European societies in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis.

This paper builds on Oxfam's earlier work with Stockholm Environment Institute to assess global carbon inequality, which you can read here and here. You can access the full dataset behind the analysis here.