Knocked My Socks Off!!

   I've been carrying around the myth that I was fairly well-informed around the climate emergency that is unfolding at an accelerated pace. I mean I've had a strong interest in weather and climate since studying meteorology and climatology 50 years ago. I remember researching this relatively new phenomenon back then called El Nino developing off the Pacific coast of Peru. I even seriously contemplated graduate study of climatology at the University of Wisconsin in the mid-70s. I took a bit of a hiatus in the 80s with a new family, new career. But I've continued to follow more closely since the early to mid 90's when I became involved in studying and working in sustainability.

I've been invited at least annually to give a guest lecture on Sustainability to 100 or so sophomore engineering students, wherein early on in the presentation I show them newer graphs and charts from the latest IPCC or other climate science research - the "hockey stick", "arctic ice", predictive ranges of climate models, etc. I also discuss inequality in that presentation including showing the variance in the ecological footprints of nations and the growing inequality within our nation. But I must say I never linked them together as visibly as several graphs from a recently found 2021 research study of the Institute for European Environmental Policy and Oxfam demonstrate. "Carbon Inequality in 2030: Per capita consumption emissions and the 1.5° C goal" is a brief but informative paper that powerfully depicts the cavernous  gap between the wealthiest and the vast majority and their carbon consumption. There are numerous graphs in this paper that are startling. But the one below really hit me.

 

 What struck me the most about this graph is the amount of carbon reduction required among both the wealthiest 1% and 10% - 97% reduction for the top1% and 90%  reductions for the top 10%. Even the middle 40% needs to reduce its carbon footprints by 57% to meet the 2030 goals. 

Less you think we mostly self-assessed income earners are absolved from the deepest cuts please visit this website and type in your annual income. A married couple in the U.S. with an annual income of $50,000 would classify as belonging to the richest 7% globally. This status would require a 90% reduction in our carbon footprint. Chew on that for awhile.... How could you do it?