A study published in Nature Climate Change – co-authored by SPARCCLE researcher Carl-Friedrich Schleussner (IIASA) – finds that the world’s wealthiest top 10% are responsible for two-thirds of global warming since 1990, driving the rise in extreme climate events like heatwaves and droughts.

The study assesses the contribution of the highest emitting groups within societies and finds that the top 1% of the wealthiest individuals globally contributed 26 times the global average to increases in monthly 1-in-100-year heat extremes globally and 17 times more to Amazon droughts.

The research draws a direct line between income-based emissions inequality and climate injustice, showing that extreme weather events are especially severe in vulnerable tropical regions such as the Amazon, Southeast Asia, and southern Africa – areas that have historically contributed the least to global emissions.

“If everyone had emitted like the bottom 50% of the global population, the world would have seen minimal additional warming since 1990,” says co-author Carl-Friedrich Schleussner. “Addressing this imbalance is crucial for fair and effective climate action.”

The research also emphasises the importance of emissions embedded in financial investments, rather than just personal consumption. The authors argue that targeting the financial flows and portfolios of high-income individuals could yield substantial climate benefits.

The study has sparked a global conversation, with coverage in The Guardian, Le Monde, Der Standard, Der Spiegel, and other leading outlets.

Adapted from a press release by IIASA. Read the original article here.

For more information:

Schöngart, S., Nicholls, Z., Hoffmann, R., Pelz, S., & Schleussner, C. (2025). High-income groups disproportionately contribute to climate extremes worldwide. Nature Climate Change, 15, 627–633. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-025-02325-x