Carbon Inequality: Resolving Contradictory Results From Two Different Approaches

Two approaches to assigning responsibility for global carbon emissions provide complementary insights. Individual-level analyses highlight the disproportionate emissions of the wealthy, and country-level ones highlight the growing importance of emissions from middle-income countries. We propose the concept of reasonable vs. excessive consumption as a way to integrate these approaches into a synergistic and less divisive perspective on how to address the current climate challenge. Commonly advocated efficiency improvements should be supplemented by cutting excessive consumption and acknowledging the role of population in sustainability goals in both high-income and poorer nations.