- Are improvements to green technologies, like better batteries and more efficient solar panels, enough on their own to tackle climate change?
- In our recent article for Nature Climate Change, we explain why inequality remains one of the biggest barriers to the net zero transition.
1. The very rich are very big polluters
- According to their latest analysis, the richest 1% emit as much CO₂ as the poorest 66% combined.
- To limit warming to 1.5°C, each person has a yearly carbon budget of about 1 tonne.
2. Political solutions are limited
- The political power of the rich prevents measures that could otherwise distribute emissions and energy use more fairly.
- Billionaires who have made their fortunes through investments in the fossil fuel industry have donated to groups that campaign against policy solutions to climate change, obstructing and delaying efforts to decarbonise.
3. Carbon taxes could be more effective
No price attached to carbon emissions, in any country, accounts for their full damage to the Earth and to human health. This means that it is often cheaper for industries to pollute than switch to clean alternatives.
- Carbon taxes are supposed to increase the price of emitting greenhouse gases and pollution so that the greenest option is also the cheapest one.
- More equal societies, without extreme poverty or wealth, could introduce carbon taxes that enable everyone to decarbonise.
4. Green options aren’t in reach for all
- If you’re one of the many people on a low income then you may not be able to afford them.
- Ensuring that subsidy schemes specifically support those on lower incomes could allow everyone to make the changes necessary for reaching net zero.
5. People need free time to go green
- Beyond wealth and income, there are also inequalities in available time to consider.
- Some low-carbon options take longer or are less convenient than the polluting alternatives, such as travelling long distances by train instead of flying.
More equality in free time, such as a four-day working week, can help people make lifestyle changes that benefit the planet.
6. Public services cannot meet their potential
- Universally available amenities also meet basic standards of human wellbeing while using less energy overall.
- In the UK, London boasts the cheapest bus fares and the most comprehensive public transport network.
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The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.