Poverty: Oxfam calls for global redistribution of incomes
. says emission reduces Africa agricultural productivity by 34%
As part of efforts to reduce inequality, Oxfam Nigeria has called for global redistribution of incomes, to provide everyone living in poverty with a minimum daily income of $25 while still reducing global emissions by 10%.
Oxfam in a report with the title, “Richest 1% emit four times more planet-heating pollution than the entire African continent,” on Monday, said Carbon emissions of richest 1% surged to 16% of world’s total CO2 emissions in 2019.
The report also revealed that the Africa continent’s agricultural productivity has fallen by 34% since 1961, in large part due to climate change.
The report revealed that, the richest one percent of the world carbon emissions are enough to wipe out over half of Africa’s production of rice, wheat, corn and soy and produced four times more carbon pollution in 2019 as the entire population of Africa.
“Unequal countries suffer seven times more flood fatalities than more equal countries,” reveals a new Oxfam report.
The report is coming ahead of the UN climate summit in Dubai, amid growing fears that the 1.5°C target for curtailing rising temperatures appears increasingly unachievable.
“These outsized emissions of the richest 1% will cause 1.3 million heat-related excess deaths, equivalent to over half the population of Gabon. Most of these deaths will occur between 2020 and 2030.
“The global warming caused by the emissions of the richest 1% will cause enough damage to wipe out the equivalent of over half of Africa’s production of rice, wheat, maize and soy.
“The super-rich continue to be one of the biggest threats to safe and sustainable life on our planet,’’ said Oxfam in Africa Director Fati N’zi-Hassane.
“It’s shameful that people most affected by climate breakdown, like so many Africans, are the least responsible for global warming. They’re also the least prepared to face the climate damage caused by a very small group of big polluters’’ said N’zi-Hassane.
Oxfam further called on governments across the globe to get off fossil fuels quickly and fairly, adding that rich countries are disproportionately responsible for global warming and must end oil and gas production correspondingly faster.
“New taxes on corporations and billionaires could help pay for the transition to renewable energy. Prioritize human and planetary well-being over endless profit, extraction and consumption. Stop using GDP growth as the measure of human progress,” the report counselled.
As part of efforts to reduce inequality, Oxfam Nigeria has called for global redistribution of incomes, to provide everyone living in poverty with a minimum daily income of $25 while still reducing global emissions by 10%.
Oxfam in a report with the title, “Richest 1% emit four times more planet-heating pollution than the entire African continent,” on Monday, said Carbon emissions of richest 1% surged to 16% of world’s total CO2 emissions in 2019.
