this post was submitted on 17 Aug 2023
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The paper is here

Thanks to @[email protected] for highlighting this bit:

Then there were “super-emitters” with extremely high overall greenhouse gas emissions, corresponding to about the top 0.1 percent of households. About 15 days of emissions from a super-emitter was equal to a lifetime of emissions for someone in the poorest 10 percent in America.

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[–] [email protected] 43 points 2 years ago (3 children)

The richest 10 percent of U.S. households are responsible for 40 percent of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions

The important context missing from the title.

They included income tied to emissions related to the operation of a business, such as from a coal-fired power plant. But they also included income, such as from investments, that supported services or products from those industries.

I mean, yeah... people with more money will have more investments and business assets, and therefore will have a higher contribution, this probably didn't need a study to determine. The more interesting / shocking statistic, in my opinion, is:

Then there were “super-emitters” with extremely high overall greenhouse gas emissions, corresponding to about the top 0.1 percent of households. About 15 days of emissions from a super-emitter was equal to a lifetime of emissions for someone in the poorest 10 percent in America.

This is absolutely disgusting, and unconscionable.

[–] [email protected] 20 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

It's why you see people recommending 'eat the rich as having a lower climate impact than a vegan diet.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 years ago (1 children)

They included income tied to emissions related to the operation of a business...

Reminds me of how I threw out more in one shift in fast food than my household did in a month.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 2 years ago

Your total trash footprint is higher than someone who lives in a mega-mansion but has a full-time housekeeper. They in fact have no trash footprint, since they never take out trash. You should be ashamed.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Thank you for this context. It's really affects the messaging here

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 years ago (2 children)

Give it to me in raw numbers, how many Americans does that really mean?

[–] [email protected] 8 points 2 years ago

In freedom units, that would be approximately 14 elephants stood diagonally on their left tusk worth of humans.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 years ago

US population is about 340 million, so 34 million in the top 10% and 340,000 in the 0.1% super-emitters

[–] [email protected] 7 points 2 years ago

This is pretty much what’s happening on an international scale, too.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 2 years ago

But don't forget to recycle and stop using plastic straws! 🙃

[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 years ago

Aside from the business-related details, this is entirely unsurprising. I mean, I don't have my own jet, but if I did and I used it all the time, it would probably add up to a lot more than my occasional drive in an Accord.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 years ago (2 children)

so people who own large businesses like cruise lines, container ships, trucking companies, power plants, are responsible for the emissions. it makes sense but attributing all of emissions to that 1 person doesn't account for a board of directors and shareholders who also can have a major say in how much they pollute.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 years ago

is it at all possible that it is actually people ordering cruises and shit being delivered from china who are responsible? they are not sailing these ships there and back just out of spite. we are paying them.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 2 years ago

The owners vote on the board of directors every year, so they do have control over policy like that.