The future of our planet is in critical shape as global warming threatens to disrupt lives, economies, and ecosystems, with the window for action rapidly closing. The disparity in carbon emissions between the wealthiest and the poorest has never been more glaring. According to a new study by Oxfam International, fifty of the world's wealthiest individuals emit more carbon in just 90 minutes than the average person does in their entire lifetime.
What's more, the richest 1% exhausted their fair share of the 2025 global carbon budget—the permissible CO2 emissions to stay within 1.5°C of warming—within the first 10 days of the year. This revelation underscores the urgent need for climate action and highlights the staggering inequality driving the climate emergency. In this gallery, we delve into the sobering reality of their reckless decisions and explore what these choices mean for the future of our planet.