Half of the Earth’s climate-harming fossil-fuel is emitted by the 10% of the richest people.
British charity Oxfam claimed in a report released on Wednesday that the poorest half of the world produced just 10% of the green house gas.
Oxfam’s report comes at a time when delegates and representatives from 120 countries are debating ways and means to reduce green house emission and wrangle over a climate rescue pact at the World Climate Meet in Paris.
Among the thorniest and longest-running issues in the 25-year-old UN climate process have been the disputes over how to share responsibility for curbing greenhouse-gas emissions and aiding climate-vulnerable countries.
“Rich, high emitters should be held accountable for their emissions, no matter where they live,” Oxfam climate policy head Tim Gore said in a statement.
“But it’s easy to forget that rapidly developing economies are also home to the majority of the world’s very poorest people and while they have to do their fair share, it is rich countries that should still lead the way,” Gore added.
175 times more carbon is emitted by an average person among the richest one percent when compared to the average person in the poorest 10%, claimed the report.
There has been a sharp divide between the rich and the developing nations over the issue of “differentiation” – how to share out responsibility for curbing greenhouse gas emissions. Green house gases are primarily emitted from burning coal, oil and gas.
The west should bear the bigger burden of cutting back on green house gases, claim the developing nations, as the developed countries have polluted for much longer.
The developing countries have also been demanding that the costs for shifting to less-polluting renewable energy, shore up defenses against climate impacts such as sea level rise and droughts and superstorms be financed by the developed nations and cover for the costs of global warming.
“We hope advanced nations will assume ambitious targets and pursue them sincerely. It’s not just a question of historical responsibility – they also have the most room to make the cuts and make the strongest impact,” Indian prime minister Naremdra Modi told at Monday's opening of the summit by world leaders.
British charity Oxfam claimed in a report released on Wednesday that the poorest half of the world produced just 10% of the green house gas.
Oxfam’s report comes at a time when delegates and representatives from 120 countries are debating ways and means to reduce green house emission and wrangle over a climate rescue pact at the World Climate Meet in Paris.
Among the thorniest and longest-running issues in the 25-year-old UN climate process have been the disputes over how to share responsibility for curbing greenhouse-gas emissions and aiding climate-vulnerable countries.
“Rich, high emitters should be held accountable for their emissions, no matter where they live,” Oxfam climate policy head Tim Gore said in a statement.
“But it’s easy to forget that rapidly developing economies are also home to the majority of the world’s very poorest people and while they have to do their fair share, it is rich countries that should still lead the way,” Gore added.
175 times more carbon is emitted by an average person among the richest one percent when compared to the average person in the poorest 10%, claimed the report.
There has been a sharp divide between the rich and the developing nations over the issue of “differentiation” – how to share out responsibility for curbing greenhouse gas emissions. Green house gases are primarily emitted from burning coal, oil and gas.
The west should bear the bigger burden of cutting back on green house gases, claim the developing nations, as the developed countries have polluted for much longer.
The developing countries have also been demanding that the costs for shifting to less-polluting renewable energy, shore up defenses against climate impacts such as sea level rise and droughts and superstorms be financed by the developed nations and cover for the costs of global warming.
“We hope advanced nations will assume ambitious targets and pursue them sincerely. It’s not just a question of historical responsibility – they also have the most room to make the cuts and make the strongest impact,” Indian prime minister Naremdra Modi told at Monday's opening of the summit by world leaders.
