Climate & environment
Oxfam report: Sweden's richest are increasing their emissions
Published 02.01
The ultra-rich are only 0.1 percent of Sweden's population.
But they emit as much every year as the average Swede does in 30 years.
- There is popular will, but the richest are standing in the way of the transition, says Astrid Nilsson Lewis at Oxfam Sweden.
Quick version
The new report “Sweden’s choice: popular will or profit interest?” is based on data produced by Oxfam and the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI).
The report shows that emissions between different income groups differ significantly. The richest in Sweden emit significantly more compared to the rest of the population, writes Oxfam.
– We know that 85 percent of the Swedish people want an ambitious climate policy. Our data shows that the vast majority, 99 percent, have reduced their emissions since 1990. Only the richest one percent have increased their emissions, says Astrid Nilsson Lewis, climate and equality expert at Oxfam Sweden.
FACTS
The richest have increased emissions – the poor have reduced them
- Emissions from the richest one percent in Sweden increased by 24 percent during 1990–2022, while emissions from the richest 0.1 percent increased by 44 percent during the same period.
- At the same time, emissions from the 50 percent with the lowest income decreased by 31 percent. Those with the lowest income have taken a great deal of responsibility for Sweden's climate transition, while the very richest have increased their emissions.
- A person from the richest one percent in Sweden emits an average of 48 tons of CO2 per person per year. This is eleven times more than a person from the 50 percent with the lowest income.
- A person from the richest 0.1 percent in Sweden emits an average of 198 tons of CO2 per person per year. This is 45 times more than a person from the 50 percent with the lowest income
Source: Oxfam
65 percent worried
She points out that there is a strong popular will for an ambitious climate transition. A full 65 percent of Swedes are worried about climate change and 85 percent want the state to do more to combat it.
– We think it is a matter of political responsibility to ensure that the very richest are not allowed to continue emitting in this way. And not to influence the economy and politics. We want politicians to pursue an ambitious climate policy.
The report states that if emissions continue at the same rate as now, the carbon dioxide budget will be exhausted in just two years.
– Every centigrade matters. It matters a lot whether it is 1.5 or 1.6 or 1.7 degrees of warming. It is a huge failure if we do not manage to keep warming below the 1.5-degree target. It is about human lives around the world already today – and the future of our children and grandchildren. We are facing a climate catastrophe, says Astrid Nilsson Lewis.
– The carbon dioxide budget has been used primarily to increase luxury consumption by the richest in the world and in Sweden, instead of being reduced and ensuring a good life for everyone within the planet's borders.
Climate delayers also in Sweden
In the US, the climate delayer lobby is strong and similar winds can also be seen in Sweden.
– With money comes power. People with large fortunes have reaped profits from the economic system that is fossil-dependent and benefit from delaying the transition. They may not always be outright climate deniers, but if they benefit from delaying the climate transition, it becomes a form of soft climate denial.
– We do not have a lobby register in Sweden and there should be one. It is naive to believe that this type of lobbying work does not exist behind closed doors. People have the right to know what is driving politics today – and why it is so different from the will of the people.
In the report, authors Astrid Nilsson Lewis and Hanna Nelson take up the example of Jacob Wallenberg, who pumped billions into the airline SAS during the pandemic. The government also invested several billions of taxpayers' money after Wallenberg sent a text message to the government about investing in SAS.
– It is extra problematic when you have great power to control the economy and politics, they can have direct contact with the government or own large parts of companies and control them in a way that is in conflict with the climate goal – and also in conflict with the will of the people, says Astrid Nilsson Lewis.
Gigantic emissions
Oxfam has analyzed the investment portfolios of 308 of the world's 500 richest people and found that they have massive emissions.
– If they were a country, they would rank as the 15th most polluting country in the world – with just 308 inhabitants. And six of them are Swedes. If you count the emissions from their investments on average, it is about 21,000 tons of carbon dioxide equivalents per person and year. That is about several thousand years of emissions from an average Swede.
According to Oxfam's report, the rich are a brake on the climate transition, but also the current government – which is not meeting the climate target for 2030.
– Yes, climate policy is blind to these inequalities. On the one hand, it misses emissions that are easy to reduce, but it is also morally completely wrong and unfair and damages social acceptance. It also creates polarization in the debate.
How should emissions be reduced?
– Firstly, by banning or limiting luxury consumption, such as private jets and luxury yachts. They have high emissions and it is unreasonable in a burning climate crisis to have that type of luxury emissions. Then we think that the very richest should be taxed – this follows the polluter pays principle.
– The richest 0.1 percent of the population must reduce their emissions by 99 percent per person by 2030 compared to 2022. The richest one percent must reduce theirs by 96 percent.
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