Climate Change Study Reveals: Blame the Rich

A University of Leeds study of 86 countries showed that the rich are the primary culprit in the issue of climate change. It found that the 10% wealthiest consume energy roughly 20 times above the poorest 10%. In the gulf, this 10% are to blame for 187 times more transport fuel than the lowest 10%.

The study showed that wealth is directly proportional to energy consumption. It found this to be true regardless of country. If no significant change in policy occurs, the study warned, by 2050 the level of energy consumption in households will double 2011 levels, regardless of any energy efficiency improvement.

Inequality in transportation

The study combined data from the World Bank and the European Union to determine the usage of various income groups. In transportation, the 10% richest utilize more than 50% energy. Past studies agree: the top 15% UK population take 70% of flights, while 57% do not fly overseas at all. The richest fly the furthest.

Other findings showed a more equitable consumption in heating and cooking. Nonetheless, the richest 10% still used about 1/3 of all consumption, presumably due to having larger homes.

Project leader, professor, and co-author Julia Steinberger asked how such a starkly unequal energy distribution can provide decent living for all while having ecosystems and the climate protected. The study opined how better public transport could lessen transport demand and how higher taxes may be imposed on larger vehicles and frequent flyers. School of Earth and Environment PhD researcher and lead author Yannick Oswald says that energy consumption is unequal and do not equally benefit different income populations. Transportation, among others, leads this inequality, he adds.

The study states that the faster implementation of vehicle electrification may provide improvement. Regardless of this, past studies suggested that the demand for driving should be lessened in order to lessen resource use.

Inequality among nations

The study also delved into energy consumption between countries. Its showed that 1/5 of UK citizens are among the 5% highest consumers. Joining them are 40% of all Germans and the entire Luxembourg population. In contrast, the Chinese only have 2% in this top 5%, while India has 0.02%. Back in Britain, even its poorest 20% still consume five times more energy compared to India's poorest billion.

These findings will likely cause ripples in future climate negotiations in the UN, where equity is always a bitterly contentious issue. American libertarian politicians have always portrayed climate change as being the harbinger of world socialism. Kevin Anderson of Manchester's Tyndall Centre told BBC that climate change is framed by society's highest consumers, and when this sector says that there is "no appetite" for imposing higher taxes on flying, they mean they do not want to give up their exorbitant habits. Anderson adds that this goes true for the size of the homes and cars of the wealthy. The rich convinced themselves that they are living a normal life, all while the data belies such a perception.

The study showed a 31% increase in transport energy by the year 2050, which will be disastrous for our climate if the use of fossil fuels does not change. It offers various solutions, including higher taxes for large cars and flying and housing retrofits to reduce large houses' consumption.