Emissions cuts achieved among poorer Europeans but emissions of richest 10% have grown

EU emissions reductions since 1990 resulted from a fall in the emissions of lower and middle-income Europeans, while the emissions of the richest 10 per cent of Europeans grew, Oxfam reveals in new analysis.

Confronting Carbon Inequality in the European Union shows that tackling carbon inequality is key to delivering the new EU 2030 climate target, due to be discussed by EU leaders later this week, and to a fast, fair, and sustainable economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The analysis is based on research conducted with the Stockholm Environment Institute, which assesses the consumption emissions of different income groups between 1990 and 2015. During this 25-year period, which saw EU consumption emissions fall by 12 per cent and economic inequality increase, the report shows:

• The richest 10 per cent of EU citizens were responsible for more than a quarter (27 per cent) of EU emissions, the same amount as the poorest half of the EU population combined. The 40 per cent of 'middle income' Europeans were responsible for 46 per cent of emissions, and the richest one per cent for seven per cent of emissions.
• The poorest half of Europeans cut their emissions by almost a quarter (24 per cent) and 'middle-income' citizens by 13 per cent. By contrast, the richest 10 per cent of Europeans increased their emissions by three per cent and the richest one per cent saw an increase of five per cent.
• To stay on track for global heating of no more than 1.5C, the carbon footprint of the richest 10 per cent of Europeans must be ten times smaller by 2030, and that of the richest one per cent 30 times less than now. By contrast, the footprint of the poorest 50 per cent must be halved.

Oxfam's head of climate policy and report co-author, Tim Gore, said: “EU carbon reductions have been delivered by poorer Europeans while the richest have had a free ride. But now everyone must pull their weight to achieve the deeper emission cuts needed over the next decade.

“Carbon inequality could derail Europe's climate targets unless EU leaders take a joined-up approach to both cut emissions and tackle inequality. The yellow vest protests in France show how quickly climate policies can unravel if they are not built on principles of fairness and justice", added Gore.

The report reveals stark carbon inequality within, as well as between, EU member states. The richest 10 per cent of citizens in Germany, Italy, France, and Spain (approx. 25.8m people) are collectively responsible for the same amount of emissions as the entire population of 16 EU member states combined (approx. 84.8m people).

However, rocketing inequality and a reliance on coal means the richest 10 per cent of citizens in Poland (approx. 3.8 million people) – a relatively poorer country – are responsible for more emissions than the entire population of countries like Sweden (approx. 9.8 million people) or Hungary (approx. 9.9 million people).

Air travel and car journeys are responsible for the largest share – around 30-40 per cent – of the carbon footprint of the highest emitting Europeans. Home heating is the biggest contributor to the footprints of lower income groups. Transport emissions have increased significantly in all but two EU Member States since 1990 and are responsible for around a quarter of all EU emissions. This is in part because of the growth in demand for polluting luxury vehicles such as SUVs which account for a third of new cars sold in the EU today.

During 2020, and with just 1°C of global heating, the climate crisis has fuelled floods and heatwaves across Europe, deadly hurricanes in Central America, huge locust swarms which have devastated crops across East Africa, and unprecedented wildfires in Australia and the US. No one is immune to these crises, says Oxfam, but it is the poorest and most marginalised people who are hit hardest.

Oxfam is calling for the EU to use the European Green Deal legislative package to fight inequality, cut emissions, and boost the economic recovery from COVID-19.

Gore said: "The EU Green Deal can target the emissions of the richest while directly benefiting lower income Europeans. It's time to ban SUVs, tax aviation fuel, and invest in housing renovation and public transport to end fuel poverty, create millions of decent jobs, and cleaner air for all. An ambitious 2030 climate target coupled with a fair European Green Deal will help Europe bounce back from the COVID-19 crisis with more sustainable and resilient economies that work for everyone”.

* Read Confronting carbon inequality in the European Union here

* Oxfam International https://www.oxfam.org/en

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