The inequality-emissions link and what it means for the 1.5oC goal

The report analyzes the link between income inequality and carbon emissions, projecting that by 2030, the richest 10% of the global population will still be responsible for nearly half of all consumption emissions (48%), while the bottom 50% will account for only 10%. It highlights that the net effect of current NDCs results in 2030 global emissions remaining roughly equal to 2015 levels (35.5 GtCO2), which is nearly double the 18 GtCO2 median estimate required to limit warming to 1.5°C.

• If all countries fully comply with their NDCs, global emissions in 2030 are estimated to be approximately 35.5 GtCO2, which is roughly equal to 2015 levels.
• Historical analysis from 1990 to 2015 indicates that the richest 10% of the global population were responsible for 46% of emissions growth and consumed over 25% of the remaining 1.5°C carbon budget.

APA

Ghosh, E., Kartha, S., & Nazareth, A. (2021). The inequality-emissions link and what it means for the 1.5oC goal. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/220109a-burton-ghosh-inequality-report-2111a.pdf

Chicago

Ghosh, Emily, Sivan Kartha, and Anisha Nazareth. The inequality-emissions link and what it means for the 1.5oC goal. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2021. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/220109a-burton-ghosh-inequality-report-2111a.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Ghosh |first1=Emily |last2=Kartha |first2=Sivan |last3=Nazareth |first3=Anisha |title=The inequality-emissions link and what it means for the 1.5oC goal |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=November 2021 |url=https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/220109a-burton-ghosh-inequality-report-2111a.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{ghosh2021inequalityemissions, author = {Ghosh, Emily and Kartha, Sivan and Nazareth, Anisha}, title = {{The inequality-emissions link and what it means for the 1.5oC goal}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2021}, month = nov, url = {https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/220109a-burton-ghosh-inequality-report-2111a.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }