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Confronting carbon inequality in the European Union

Dec 8, 2020 | News

(08 December 2020) – 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.

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New Oxfam analysis developed with the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) reveals that in the 25 years between 1990 and 2015, in which the EU’s consumption emissions fell by around 12%, while income inequality increased across Europe, the richest 10% of EU citizens were responsible for over a quarter (27%) of these EU emissions, the same amount as the poorest half of the EU population combined.

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.

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