Study: personal carbon footprint of the rich is vastly underestimated

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🗞️ Driving the news: A new study reveals that the personal carbon footprint of the wealthiest people is significantly underestimated, while the carbon footprint of the poorest is overestimated
• Surveying 4,000 people across four countries (Denmark, India, Nigeria, and the U.S.), researchers found that both rich and poor participants misunderstood the true distribution of carbon emissions
• Wealthier individuals were more supportive of climate policies, reflecting higher education and financial stability

🔭 The context: The study, conducted by researchers from leading universities, highlights global disparities in carbon footprints
• It shows that the richest 10% and 1% contribute far more to carbon emissions than people realize
• Meanwhile, misconceptions about lower-impact behaviors, like recycling, being effective in reducing carbon footprints persist

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Understanding the unequal distribution of carbon emissions is crucial for developing fair climate policies
• The richest individuals bear the most responsibility for cutting emissions, yet current policies often reflect their interests, leaving the poorest more vulnerable to the effects of climate change

⏭️ What's next: The researchers call for greater awareness of carbon footprint inequality to inform policies that promote fairness and justice in climate action
• This will require shifting responsibility for carbon reduction to those with the highest emissions

💬 One quote: "There’s a huge contrast between billionaires travelling by private jet while the rest of us drink with soggy paper straws," said Dr. Ramit Debnath, co-author of the study

📈 One stat: In the U.S., participants overestimated the carbon footprint of the poorest 50% while underestimating the carbon footprint of the richest 10%

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